sanitary containers and it is then sold to consumers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA regulates bottled water as a packaged food product and it must meet their requirements for labeling, safety and inspection. These standards are at least as strict as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA standards for public water systems. If the water in a bottle contains additives or various ingredients it can lead to the product becoming classified as a dietary supplement, soft drink or a different category. Tonic water, soda water and seltzer water are not classified as bottled water. These products are considered soft drinks due to the possible calories or sugar that are in them. There are many different types of bottled water which can be a little confusing. What exactly is the difference between mineral water versus spring water? Mineral water must not contain less than 250 parts per million of total dissolved solids. It has relative proportions and a consistent level of minerals and trace elements stemming from the moment the fresh water was removed from its source. Spring water is fresh water that comes from an underground formation where water naturally flows to the earth’s surface. The fresh water can be collected at the spring or via a borehold which taps the underground formation that is feeding the spring with water. If spring water is attained through external force it needs to be from the same underground layer as the spring. It must also contain all the physical properties prior to treatment and needs to be of the same quality and composition as the water which naturally flows to earth’s surface. Purified water is water that has been distilled, deionized, had reverse osmosis or gone through a similar process. It must meet the characterization of purified water by the U.S. Pharmacopoeia in order to be labeled purified water. Bottled water may be treated using several processes including: distilled water when distillation is used; deionized water when deionization is utilized; and reverse osmosis when that process is used. Drinking water can be labeled “_ drinking water†with the space filled in with one of the above processes such as distilled drinking water. Sparkling bottled water is water that has been treated and possibly replaced with carbon dioxide, but has the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had when it was originally taken from the source. Artesian water/Artesian well water is bottled water that came from a well which tapped a confined aquifer which is an underground rock or sand layer that is water-bearing where the level of water stood at a height above the top of the aquifer. Finally, well water stems from a hole which has been drilled, bored or somehow built into the ground and which taps the water aquifer for fresh water. Did you know that you can have bottled water delivered right to your door? There are bottled water delivery services that will set you up with bottled water and replacements. Once you begin the water delivery service you merely leave the emptied bottles for the company to pick up and recycle and the bottled water delivery service brings you full bottles. The same water delivery service might offer a coffee delivery service as well as office water. In the case of office water the company would provide and install a water cooler that is available for the entire office. The premise is the same as the water bottle delivery service, the water delivery service brings you new full coolers and takes your emptied ones to recycle. A coffee delivery service such as Standard Coffee Service Company may supply you with unlimited premium drinking water as an alternative to bottled water yet also offer bottled water if you prefer it. Bottled water can also be found almost everywhere you go. Supermarkets, retail stores, gas stations and vending machines all offer either individual or packs of bottled water for sale. Of course, with the World Wide Web bottled water can also be purchased from numerous stores online. If you are seeking bottled water you can always find it somewhere. Did you know that eight of every 10 bottles of water end up being added to landfills instead of being recycled? It can take as much as 700 years for these bottles to decompose. This problem has environmentally conscious people and organizations upset. Eco-friendly water bottles such as Voss or Sigg have become more popular due to these environmental concerns. Voss, for example, offers glass bottles and PET plastic bottles which are reused plastic. Municipal water filling stations have popped up in some areas so people can get water with their used water bottles. Yet some organizations are banning water bottles. The city of Chicago, in Illinois, added extra taxes to bottled water to try to discourage people from purchasing them. The U.S. Conference of Mayors voted to ban water bottles from all City Halls throughout the United States unless there is an emergency. Many governments have banned water bottles from their official events and removed them from government cafeterias and even vending machines. Yet, water is necessary for good health and the water contained in water bottles is not bad for you. It’s getting consumers to recycle the bottles instead of just throwing them away that is the problem. Bottled water delivery services can definitely help with the problem of recycling. A water delivery service will take care of the recycling for you. Water delivery makes getting good quality and tasty water and recycling as simple as it can be. If you are interested in storing bottles of water you are advised to buy commercially bottled water. It is recommended that you keep the water in its original container and do not open the bottle until you wish to drink it or use it. You may find a “use by†date on the bottle. The date appears to refer more to the taste of the water than any health concerns. The Food and Drug Administration believes that bottled water has an indefinite shelf life. It is also recommended that when storing water bottles you choose a dry, dark and cool place away from light and heat sources and chemicals. If you want to store your own homemade water bottles, try to use food-grade water storage containers which can be found at camping supply stores or surplus stores. If you want to re-use a storage container, try to find a two-liter plastic soft drink bottle. You need to thoroughly clean and rinse the bottle with dishwashing soap and water. In order to sanitize the bottle you can also use one teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach that is non-scented to one quart of water. Simply place the mixture in the bottle, swish it around, pour out the mixture and rinse the bottle with clean water. You need to fill your bottle to the top with regular tap water. If your water is well water or from another source where it is not treated with chlorine, add two drops of liquid household chlorine bleach that is non-scented to each water gallon. You need to tightly close the container with the original cap if possible. It is a good idea to write the date you filled the bottle on it. It should be stored in a dark, dry, cool place and replaced every six months when it is not commercially bottled. Plastic water bottles are negatively affecting our environment in more than one way. In 2006, an estimated two billion half-liter bottles were shipped to ports in the United States which created thousands of tons of air pollution and global warming pollution. The shipping of the bottles can be a big problem for the environment as well the bottles becoming landfill garbage. The bottled water industry is trying to combat these problems by using lighter-weight plastics for the containers and attempting to increase the fuel efficiency in the process of transporting the bottles to market. Bottled water bottles are recyclable and consumers can help make sure that they have a chance to be recycled. A bottled water delivery service and office water services utilizing water coolers are great ways to make sure that the containers are reused. The services do the recycling for you if you have the emptied containers for them. Coffee delivery services will even provide bottled water and the more environmentally-friendly alternative of unlimited premium drinking water. Bottled water is an excellent, healthy beverage for anyone on the go. All humans need lots of water every day to feel our best and water bottles provide a convenient method of getting the beneficial drink when we need it.
