Should the labels of bottled water be regulated to show contents?

Yes

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by Lucas Michieli

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I would be guilty of embellishment if I were to say that regulations surrounding bottled water sucked.

The bottled water industry schemes to influence us; we are told that tap water is full of impurities and ill-regulated. However, in many parts of North America bottled water is not regulated whatsoever, also it is often not from the pristine source advertised on the bottle.

Sometimes it is tap water.

People buy bottled water for one of two reasons, they buy it out of convenience and they buy it due to the belief that it has health benefits that tap water does not.

Bottled water costs 100's of times more than tap water.

We are being misled; some companies tell us that we are purchasing a highly refined and health promoting product, from an obscure untainted locale. In fact, we may just be buying salted bath water.

The bottled water industry should be forced to show us what it is that we are ingesting, especially when it is at an inflated price compared to its likeness; if they choose to broadcast the benefits of their drink then we should be able to see what we are absorbing from their drink.

It has become the norm and the requirement for foods and beverages to show their ingredients and caloric breakdown on the box/label. Some bottling companies choose not to do this.

In regions where bottled water is regulated, general checks and tests on bottled water sources seem as if only a recommendation. Lack of regulation means that some (admittedly not all) suppliers may be selling water with elevated levels of bacteria and toxins.

Not only should the contents of the water be shown, a warning should be issued to explain the potential for toxins to be accumulated in the body should one choose to drink water from a bottle daily. Studies have shown that it is possible for the chemicals mixed into the plastics to leach out into water, and prolonged exposure to these chemical has been proven to have adverse effects.

To fix some of problems within this industry, those who sincerely believe that their product is superior to that of the competition should push the government to provide stronger regulations. These honest companies should provide as much information about their products as possible and encourage others to follow their lead. This would increase competition and drive those who are selling the inferior products out of business.

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