Another Reason Not to Drink the Water
"Study finds contaminants in bottled water; Troubling levels present in 2 brands" by Jeff Donn, Associated Press | October 15, 2008
Tests on leading brands of bottled water turned up a variety of contaminants, including cancer-linked chemicals three times higher than California's health standard, according to a study being released today by an environmental advocacy group.
The findings challenge the popular impression - and marketing pitch - that bottled water is purer than tap water, the researchers say. Lab tests detected 38 chemicals in 10 brands, with an average of eight contaminants found in each kind of bottled water. Tests showed coliform bacteria, caffeine, the pain reliever acetaminophen, fertilizer, solvents, plastic-making chemicals, and the radioactive element strontium.
The chlorine byproducts, which studies have also linked to birth defects, presumably come from chlorine used as a disinfectant, which ends up in public water systems. Tap water is often repackaged and sold as bottled water, and the researchers say that was true of these two brands. --more--"
No wonder both taste like shit.
