What exactly happens to bottled water and what water do we drink?
It’s definitely a must in the summer: a bottle of bottled water in your hand, whether you’re walking the hot city streets or sunbathing on the beach. Bottled water consumption is gaining more and more believers in our country, even though we are still well below the average of the rest of Europe. It is estimated that the average European consumes 80-100 liters of bottled water a year, while … Italian champions reach 150 liters. How many of us, however, know what we drink? And how many can understand what is on the label of a bottled water, and if we have made the best water choice?
Not all waters are the same!
First of all, we have to read on the label what kind of bottled water we drink, since not all are the same. There are three categories recognized by the European Union: table water, natural mineral water and spring water.
The label may not indicate any other characterization of water (eg therapeutic, healing, natural water, mineral water or natural mineral spring water). But what are the water characteristics of the above three categories?
Table water
According to the law, table water may be of any origin (eg by drilling, by lake, by river, even desalinated seawater). Table water may be allowed to undergo any disinfection process if it is necessary to comply with Community Drinking Water Directive (98/83). In practice, the composition of table water and tap water is the same. Simply put, these are waters with the same quality characteristics, except that the table water is bottled while the tap is running.
Natural mineral water
Natural mineral water is exclusively of underground origin and is bottled locally at its source (usually drilling). Community directives prohibit any treatment or disinfection of natural mineral water, as opposed to tableware. Underground sources of natural mineral water, as well as the prohibition of any activity at a sufficient distance around the well (the distance depends on the type of rocks in the area), ensure its protection against any microbial load.
Spring water
To understand what “spring water” means, we must … take the image of the source out of our minds and think of it as an intermediate category between table and natural mineral water.
Source water is similar to natural mineral water in that it is of course underground, stable in composition, has no disinfection process and is always bottled at its source. However, it differs from natural mineral water in that its physicochemical parameters (its composition) do not follow those of natural mineral water, but of table, that is, common drinking water.
Sparkling Water
Carbonated water contains carbon dioxide of either natural or technical origin. Sparkling water can also be mineral or table.
Reading the label … whole!
At the back of the label of a bottled water is its physicochemical analysis, which depends on the rocks through which the water passes and which are enriched with organic and inorganic constituents. In the case of table water, then the analysis will be averaged over four seasons, since its physicochemical composition is influenced by various climatic factors (eg precipitation, which change the water level). In the case of natural mineral water, the analysis shall be of a specific date, indicated on the label.
How clean is the water?
In practice, the lower the nitrate concentration, the less pollutants the water brings, and the value above which the nitrate concentration poses a health threat is 50 mg / l. However, most market waters (natural minerals and tablets) have a nitrate concentration of less than 5 mg / l. Also, the maximum permissible limit for nitrite in natural mineral waters is 0,1 mg / l, while in the table it is 0,50 mg / l. For ammonium, the maximum permissible value is 0.50 mg / l in accordance with Community Directive 98/83.
Bottled water features
Waters are generally examined for their physicochemical and biological characteristics. The analytical methods used to test the above characteristics should be approved by the competent authorities of the country where the water is used.
Physicochemical characteristics
Natural characteristics
The main physical characteristics for which water is examined are: Appearance, color, odor, taste, temperature and purity – transparency. Color and transparency – purity, can be measured with special instruments. The determination of appearance, smell and taste depends on the perception of the human senses and the judgment. Standard methods do not include the appearance test, while approved methods only deal with odor and taste only in qualitative terms. General methods refer to the qualitative description of odor as well as a technique to obtain a definite odor number. A similar test can also be achieved for a limited number of flavors. In some cases all tests are very useful when it is possible to have water in which the smell is more apparent than the taste or, on the contrary, a taste more intense than the smell.
Chemical characteristics
Main metallic features. Most natural waters basically contain four cations: Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium and Potassium as well as four major anions: carbonates, chloride sulphates, nitrates and their salts. Electrical conductivity and pH are also mentioned.
Organic and inorganic ingredients. The main organic constituents identified were ammoniacal nitrogen (free ammonia), protein nitrogen, nitrogen nitrogen, nitrogen nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, chlorofluorocarbonate distillate, permanganate sulphate and permanganate salt. .
Metals. In addition to the major cations present in the water e.g. The following metals can also be found: ca, Mg, Na and K: Copper, Iron, Tin, and Magnesium. Aluminum is also present in small quantities which are subject to the formation of aggregates in rare cases such as aluminum sulfate and chromium.
Biological characteristics
Biological testing of water is interested in certain types of bacteria, fungi, single-celled organisms and yeasts, fungi and pests as well as the formation of certain types of worms, insects and shellfish. In general, water derived from underground sources must be free of biological contamination, and where contamination occurs, extensive growth of capillary bacteria such as Leptothrix and Reggiatoa occurs. For routine screening, direct investigation of the presence of a specific pathogenic bacterium is not practical. Water is tested for contamination by materials of human or animal origin. Attention should be paid to bacterial species, especially Escherichia coli (and other parts of the coliform group), clostridium welchii and sometimes to streptococci.
Coliforms and microorganisms in water
At least one in ten bottled waters contain health hazardous micro-organisms. The main reason for the problematic quality is its unacceptable storage conditions. Studies of the Universities of Thrace and Patras, carried out in phases from 1995 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2008, which examined approximately 1,700 bottles of commercially available water, identified pseudomonads, coliforms and microorganisms that may cause urinary and respiratory tract infections, gastroenteritis and other health problems. Although the number of micro-organisms in the original source of bottled water is usually low, studies have reported an increase in this number after its movement and storage. According to current legislation on the microbiological quality of bottled water the limits for the presence e. coli, pseudomonas pseudomonas and enterococci are zero, while for microorganisms colonies amount to 22 degrees Celsius per 100 ml and 16.9% above 100 degrees Celsius, respectively, which exceed the limits of Greek microbiological legislation. quality of bottled water. As for the results of the eight-year survey, the presence of e. coli and enterococci found in the samples are associated with fecal contamination, while Favobacterium is an indication that the water contains soil. To keep the quality of the bottled water at the desired level it should be stored in a dark and cool place at a temperature below 18 degrees Celsius.
Harmful substances detected in water
Pesticides and pesticides, polycyclic hydrocarbons, toxic metals, dissolved organic carbon, nitrate phosphates, chlorides and ammonium ions, total chromium, copper.
Dangers of plastic
Most of the bottled water is stored in plastic bottles of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET is made from fossil fuels (gas and oil). Studies have shown that PET chemicals are filtered in water. The University of Heidelberg found that the longer the water remains in the bottle, the higher the content of water that is inappropriate for health chemicals.
Some Antimonium compounds, because they are used as a catalyst in the production of plastics for use in water, beverage and juice packaging (PET), may be sources of exposure to Antimony.
Ingredients and maximum limit values
Ingredients that are naturally present in natural mineral waters and have upper limit values (mg / l) which may exceed public health (Directive 80/777 / EEC): Antimony 0.0050, Male 0.010 ( total), Barium 1.0, Boron not specified, Cadmium 0.003, Chromium 0.050, Copper 1.0, Cyanide 0.070, Fluoride 5.0, Lead 0.010, Manganese 0.50, Mercury 0.0010, Nickel 0.020 , Nitrate 50, Nitrite 0.1, Selenium 0.010.
What the consumer needs to know how to protect!
The consumer society that we are living in has imposed on us a vast set of information aimed at enormous and uncontrolled enrichment, and has thus led to the creation of a new generation circulating with a plastic bottle in hand from morning to night.
In addition, in the heart of summer, one walks the streets of the city, boiling the concrete and, for 50 minutes, buys a bottle of water in order to temporarily quench his thirst. The cucumber or “thermos” with the tap water that he took with him once and for all to the beach, has been replaced with the plastic bottle and even in the cheap neighborhood tavern that goes once a month the traditional glass jug has now been replaced. with the plastic bottle of bottled water, which even the company that owns it has made it attractive to the eye (light blue, light green or even deep blue, but also attentive) to give the illusion of luxury!
Do we really know what water we actually drink? Can we ́ “decrypt” what the label on the bottle of water we bought says? What water did we buy and give to our thirsty child?
Read the full label!
On the back of the label of a bottled water is indicated its physicochemical analysis which depends on the rocks through which it has passed and which enrich it with organic and inorganic constituents.
In the case of table water the analysis relates to the average of four seasons analyzes given that its physicochemical composition is influenced by various climatic factors (eg precipitation that changes the water level).
In the case of natural mineral water then the analysis will be of a specific date, which is indicated on the label.
What to watch for when buying bottled water
Bottled water must include the following information on their packaging:
Product sales name.
Name of source of abstraction.
Location of source.
Chemical analysis of the composition.
Treatments that may be performed during the bottling process.
Quantity of content (volume).
Minimum availability date (day / month / year).
Production lot. Conditions of service and use of the product.
Manufacturer name or trademark. The labeling of natural mineral waters or spring waters must include the following indications:
The reference to the analytical composition listing the characteristics.
The place where the source is exploited and its name.
The indication of possible treatments.
Separation of iron, manganese and sulfur compounds and arsenic from certain natural mineral waters by treatment with ozone-enriched air, as long as this treatment does not alter the composition of this water with regard to its natural constituents to which it owes its properties.
A settlement or site name may be included in the trade name provided that the natural mineral water comes from a source located in the settlement or site.
Although laws obligate the bottling companies to specify where the water came from, almost none do. A 2011 Environmental Working Group study found that out of the 9 best bottling companies in the world, only one (Nestle’s Pure Life Purified Water) described the exact geographical location from which the water was supplied and the precise treatment process.
Entries not allowed on the packaging:
Water-giving therapeutic properties.
Phrases related to the effect of water on the functions of the human body, such as “Boosts digestion” or “Suitable for diet”.
Expressions that imply a characteristic that does not exist, aiming to mislead the consumer.
Water-giving therapeutic properties. Phrases describing the effect of water on human functioning processes, such as “enhances digestion”, “suitable for slimming”.
What to do for safe drinking of bottled water
Do not share the bottle with another person. It is preferable to fill two glasses with bottled water rather than drinking directly from the bottle.
Do not fill the bottle with tap water when you have consumed all the contents, as bacteria may have developed. Better buy a new bottle of bottled water.
If you cannot put the bottle in the refrigerator, keep it in a cool place away from sunlight and any contamination. If you have bottles in a storage area, wipe the rim thoroughly when opening and then consume the contents.
Do not buy bottles that are not sealed and examine them thoroughly, internally and externally, if the shape has deteriorated or small objects are floating. Report to your local health services anything you notice about packaging or content.
Do not be distracted by the labels and pay particular attention to the date of bottling and expiration, chemical analysis, business contact telephone, water source and water type.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN INGREDIENTS OF NATURAL METAL WATER THAT MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE LABEL – WHAT THEY PROVIDE TO OUR ORGANIZATION
Na + Sodium: It is one of the most important electrolytes that contributes to the balance of body fluids and also contributes to muscle contraction. However, excessive sodium intake is associated with hypertension, which is recommended to avoid. Any natural mineral water with a sodium content of less than 10 mg / l may be labeled as ‘suitable for a low sodium diet’.
K + Potassium: It is essential for regulating the hydration of cells and maintaining the balance of fluids in our body. It also contributes to the transmission of nerve impulses (signals) between neurons, as well as to muscle contraction.
Ca ++ Calcium: It is one of the most important minerals as it is an essential constituent of bones and teeth. At the same time, it is involved in muscle function and the transmission of signals between nerves. Calcium in water is good bioavailability (ie it is fully utilized by our body) and can contribute to total daily calcium intake.
Mg ++ Magnesium: Contributes to the function of muscles and nerves, and together with calcium, it helps the heart to function better. At high concentrations, magnesium has a laxative and diuretic effect.
Cl– Chlorine: It is a constituent of stomach hydrochloric acid. Together with sodium, they help maintain the balance of fluids in our body.
HCO3 Dicarboxylic Acid: Helps maintain digestive acidity and facilitate digestion.
SO4– Sulfates: They are components of cell membranes as well as many enzymes in our body.
Fe ++ Iron: It exists mainly in waters passing through rocks rich in iron salts. Iron is a component of red blood cells, responsible for the transport of oxygen to the tissues. Adequate intake helps prevent iron-deficiency anemia.
Sio2– Silica: Contributes to elasticity of arterial walls.
THE BOTTLED WATERS MUST MUST BE REGISTERED
Product sales name.
Name of source of abstraction.
Location of source.
Chemical analysis of the composition.
Treatments that may be carried out during the bottling process.
Quantity of content (volume).
Minimum availability date (day / month / year).
Production batch.
Conditions of service and use of the product.
Manufacturer name or trademark.
SAMPLING, RESULTS AND PROBLEMS
You should be aware that recent research by the EU found that inside the plastic bottle resides a dangerous chemical called antimony.
GREEK OR IMPORTED?
Experts point out that our water is of excellent quality. This applies not only to natural mineral water, but also to table water, which is essentially bottled water (after all, the water in the Attica network is one of the best in Europe, at a time when Europeans cannot drink their own tap water and resort to bottles). In addition, the Greek natural mineral waters, in contrast to those from the rest of Europe, are oligometallic, ie lighter. In Europe, most natural mineral waters are rich in salts, so it is advisable to alternate their consumption rather than the preference of just one brand, in order to avoid long-term accumulation of salts in the body. However, this is not the case for Greek natural mineral waters, which, apart from being oligomeric, also have slight differences between them in terms of their mineral content.
Exceptions confirm the rule!
Our country is indeed famous for its waters, however, in many cases in different parts of Greece the water comes out of the fountain cloudy or with a bad odor, full of chlorine or dark brown. Man with his industrial and agricultural activities poison water. In some cases the inadequacy of water is evident, in others again the bacteria or microorganisms it contains do not become noticeable so we do not know exactly what water we are drinking. The rise of outbreaks of inappropriate water in recent years proves to be true! Professor of Environmental Chemistry and Director of the AUTH Pollution Control Research Team Mr. Fytianos adds: “Water pollution is not only caused by humans but also comes from rocks. Nitrates are found along the riverbank, near lakes and in agricultural land. “
BOTTLE WATER – A PLASTIC NEED
In a world dominated by over-consumption and exaggeration, it is perfectly natural to create imaginary needs. The most common, is the well-known and not exceptional bottled water! According to 2004 statistics, 154 billion liters of bottled water are consumed worldwide annually. With the current data, the previous number will be quite high, but we will stay there to discuss some simple things that concern us all. Do you know how much tap water costs? (see EYDAP’s account to be convinced): 1 cubic meter, ie 1000 liters only 0,60 €! Bottled? 1 € per 1 liter! That is, 1700 times more expensive! The most unreasonable is that most of this water is consumed in areas where tap water is crystal clear, potable, controlled and healthier! Third world countries or those that do not have access to clean drinking water do not consume bottled water … Do you see an absurdity here? Bottled water, except it is “canned”, no one knows if the seller has left it for ten days in the sun, which is worse. The picture is familiar to us. Cartons of bottled water covered with tarpaulin and exposed to high summer temperatures, for two or three days, until they come into the refrigerator, where we will buy them for cooling. The problem is that exposure to bottled water at such high temperatures can increase its microbial load, so eventually the water we drink changes from e.g. calcium in “microbial”. Until systematic checks are made on the storage conditions of bottled water at their distribution and sales outlets, so all we can do, as consumers, is to watch where we buy water. It is also anti-ecological … Every time we open a bottle of water we have to think about the following … Every bottle of water to make (its plastic part) uses oil. How much; Imagine that America alone consumes 26 billion billion liters of bottled water. This needs 17,000,000 liters of oil to pack. To transport the bottle to the final consumer (via ships, trucks, etc.) it consumes oil again. When the end consumer drinks their water, the bottle ends up in the trash more often than not in recycling. If not thrown into the trash, it will be thrown out (by the unconscious) into the environment, contaminating it for at least 300-400 years (so it does to melt a bottle of water). If it goes to the trash and is buried in no landfill take at least 1000 years to melt. In the garbage if it is incinerated, then the material from which it is made (PET) releases chlorine into gas and heavy metals which are highly toxic. If it results in recycling, in many countries it is not recycled there, but transported to other countries to break it down (extra oil for transportation). Water is essential for us to live. But it doesn’t have to be bottled. Bottled water is not a necessity. It’s secondary. It is necessary when you are in an area where there is no running water or drinking. In any other case it is a waste.
END OF PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES IN AMERICA AND EUROPE
The sale of plastic bottles of water of less than one liter was banned by the Concord Municipal Authority of Massachusetts. The law came into force on the first day of 2013 following a three-year campaign to reduce plastic waste and encourage the use of drinking water by the water supply network.
Violators risk a fine of 20 euros, and if they are arrested again, the fine is doubled. “For this campaign” I was inspired by my grandson, who told me about an island of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean, “says Jean Hill, who led the initiative, concluding that” We need to get people out of their minds. of the bottled water market and think of all the other alternatives ”.
A similar measure has been banned in the city of Budunun, Australia, since 2009, with more than 90 US universities banning the use of bottled water in their campuses. In many of these universities, the movement for the free use of tap water is so large that it is provided to all students and staff in stainless steel bottles, which they fill as often as they want from the taps.
One year ago, a service run by Grand Canyon National Park, one of the most important sights in the United States, banned the sale of bottled water inside the park, as empty plastic bottles flown by visitors posed a danger to it. environmental balance.
The plastic bottles of the 4.5 million tourists who visit Grand Canyon each year make up 20% of the park’s waste. According to research, Americans consume 50 billion small plastic water bottles a year.
WATER FROM LOCATION IN CALIFORNIA RESTAURANTS
New York entered the battlefield with a company operation to convince the public that tap water is absolutely safe for their health and that bottles of plastic bottles are irreversibly polluting the environment. The American metropolis took over from Salt Lake City, while many restaurants in California already serve tap water to their customers. The campaign “crossed” the Atlantic and passed through many European cities including Rome, where Authorities after 250,000 sample checks on the water system officially assured residents that the city’s water was good, fresh, and 100 to 1,000 times higher. cheap from the bottle. The battle, at least for the time being, seems uneven, as more and more consumers, especially those who follow the healthy-eating model, prefer bottled water. Experts point out, however, that this trend is damaging to the environment. Consumers mistakenly believe that spring water is too clean and ignorant that waters near the ground often accumulate pollutants that are rarely found in municipal tanks.
MYTHS THAT THE BOTTOM IS MUCH MORE TASTEFUL
As for those who think that bottled water is “more tasty” and that tap water “smells”, a simple experiment proves that it is probably self-inflicted. The experiment was initiated by the Italian environmental organization Legambiente, which asked residents of six different cities to separate tap water from bottled drinking. The sample showed that not two out of ten understood the difference.
The Example of Australia
Australia is the first country in the world to appear to have at least to some extent what other cities are still trying to ban the sale of bottled water because of the pollution caused by plastic bottles in the environment.
The Prime Minister of the Greater Australian state of New South Wales, Nathan Rees, said he would gradually ban the use of bottled water in all ministries and government departments.
Huge sums of money are spent on exporting, packaging and transporting bottled water. It is not only the pollution caused by the plastic bottles but also the energy used to make them, Nathan Rees added. Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has backed the measure and called on the other Australian states to adopt it. The measure was adopted by the town of Bundanoon in New South Wales, where it is the first city in the world to ban the use of bottled water.
The city has a population of about 2,500 and more than 350, voted in public to ban the bottled water. Only two residents at the concentration voted against the ban, one of which works for a water bottler. The reason for the ban was the announcement of plans for a bottling company in Sidney and resale in the city. Residents feared the huge impact the plastic waste would have on the environment and banned the use of bottled water.
THE FINDINGS
What has been found by the survey of several companies and therefore ranked the waters (see table page 6) is that:
There is no legislation specifying what should be on the label.
The physicochemical characteristics are not mentioned.
The average of the previous year’s sampling measurements is not mentioned but three and five years ago.
Anonymous water circulates in islands and out of Attica.
Store at temperatures below 18 ° C. Store at ambient temperatures of 30 ° and 38 ° C.
In many supermarkets, storage areas are close to refrigerators and refrigeration machines, resulting in water heating.
WATER WHEN BORROWED OLD AND CREATES BACTERIA
Its disposal prices are very high.
The lack of continuous and rigorous controls endangers the health of consumers.
The plastic packages that end up in the environment create a lot of pollutants.
We have repeatedly communicated our findings to the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Development, and to companies, but “voices in the wilderness”. Three years ago the matter had reached the court where we went and filed our inquiry, with no answer then. We therefore say and proclaim from the PACO that the long-term viable solution to ensuring access to healthy water is not bottling and treatment but protection of the ‘veins of the earth’ from pollution.
WATER’S ‘REVENGE’ DUE TO MEMORY AND CONSCIOUSNESS!
An initially unrealistic claim that over the centuries has been based on scientific evidence!
See now why one day this wet element will be avenged for human abuse that has been around for decades!
Scientists have come to the conclusion that every property of water is unique and cannot be fully explained by the laws of physics. For example, no scientific community has so far explained why water is the only element in the entire planet we meet in three forms: in liquid, solid and gaseous form. Also, a key question remains to this day why water has the highest voltage on its surface over all liquid elements.
The memory of water
The unpredictable behavior of water has been a concern for scientists since the 50s and 60s. Unable to explain a series of unpleasant incidents such as the deaths of scientists and secret agents after drinking water ended up in a hypothesis that initially seemed unreal: water has a memory. With an inexplicable mechanism so far, it manages to “store” information, such as about a computer!
In the following years a series of experiments were carried out in different countries of the world which showed that water “accepts” and “stores” any external influence. “Holds” and “remembers” everything that happens in the space around it and anything that comes in contact with water leaves its “mark” on it.
The structure of water is affected by our emotions
Scientific studies have shown that water, not only “remembers” but its structure, is affected by people’s emotions. Another is when water molecules interact with positive emotions and another when they interact with negative emotions.
The structure of water is more important than its composition. Scientists have concluded that water molecules function as memory cells in which water records the entire history of its interaction with the outside world as a magnetic tape.
