Bottled Water: A Suitable Alternative?

Thirsting for an alternative to water, Canadians gulp down about 700 million litres of the bottled version each year. But the not-so-sparkling truth about bottled water may be harder to swallow. Vastly more expensive, it is not necessarily safer than its municipal counterpart, according to government experts.

Mark Ferguson, a water-treatment and research engineer with the Greater Vancouver Regional District, notes that bottled water is not an affordable, clean, reliable safe water substitute for a treated community water supply.

A filtration project now under way in the region will elevate local tap water to world standards – and a resident will pay about 13 cents for an average one-day supply of about 400 litres. A similar amount of bottled water would cost $130.

Bottled water is not yet subject to the same set of guidelines as other drinking water. Although bottlers may receive government inspection for bacteriological quality, there is no legal requirement for them to test for trace toxic contaminants or parasites such as giardia or cryptosporidium, nor are they required to get a specific licence as water purveyors. Municipal water-system operators must hold a valid operating permit and are provincially regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Regulation of the Health Act and must meet strict microbiological, chemical and physical standards.

Bottled water manufacturers, on the other hand, are not mandated under the Food and Drugs Act to report laboratory analyses to any authority.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) officials inspect domestic bottled water manufacturers but the system relies mainly on self-policing. Under the food and drugs regulations, manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that they only market safe food.

There have been two recalls in the past years — one in B.C. and the other in Ontario. Last April, five brands of water in Langley were recalled from the marketplace after CFIA warned the product may be contaminated with an antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may lead to gastrointestinal illness and can be particularly dangerous for immunosupressed people.

Apparently, Health Canada recognizes some of these issues, and is looking into new stricter regulations and guidelines to prevent bacterial and chemical contamination. Not all bottled waters come from pristine mountain springs. Unless the product is labeled as mineral or spring water, it may be taken from any source, including a municipal water supply.

Finally, even if the water itself is clean, your delivery system may not be. Improperly maintained water coolers can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Health Canada recommends that reservoirs, drip trays and screens should be cleaned and disinfected with a bleach solution after every bottle change. Further, hands should be washed with soap and warm water when replacing the bottle.