1. The impact of your drinking water choice
Drink to Your Health:
The impact of your drinking water choice
By:
Rhonda Jill Noriega
PhD student
Walden University
PUBH
Dr. Raymond Thron
Spring Quarter 2012

2. CONTENTS Introduction Water safety authority
Tap and bottled water safety
Other considerations
Bottled water waste management
Disaster preparedness
Conclusion
References

3. INTRODUCTION
“The rights to water and sanitation entitle everyone to sufficient quantities of safe water and sanitation services that are affordable, accessible, culturally acceptable, and which are delivered in a participatory, accountable and non-discriminatory manner.”
United Nations Human Rights Council
special reporter, Catarina de Albuqerque
[read slide]
These are the words of the United Nations Human Rights Council special reporter, Catarina de Albuqerque.
The right to safe drinking water is a topic that has been discussed throughout the world and throughout history. Today nations recognize that with responsible stewardship resources are available to provide for safe water for everyone; however, a significant portion of the world’s population continue to die from lack-of-clean-water related causes.
(Albuquerque, & Roaf, 2012)

4. INTRODUCTION
3 million people die every year from water-related causes…..most are children
John Snow connected water source to disease outbreak in London in the 1800’s
United States 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act – established federal protection for drinking water sources
An estimated 3 million people die every year, and unfortunately many of these are children (Moeller, 2011).
John Snow, English doctor and scientist, first showed the association of disease to a water source in the 1800’s London cholera outbreak when he traced cases to use of the same pump at the Broad Street station (Moeller, 2011). Since Dr. Snow’s time developed nations have advanced efforts to provide safe drinking water readily available through municipal supplies.
The United States efforts to provide citizens with safe drinking water are hallmarked by the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act. This legislation provided for drinking water sources such as rivers and lakes that provided a drinking water source for more than 25 persons must be federally protected (Moeller, 2011).
(Moeller, 2011)

5. WATER SAFETY AUTHORITY
United States municipal tap water safety is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Local water treatment facilities test and report their findings to comply with the EPA’s regulations
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has jurisdiction over bottled water as a packaged food product
(Hirst, 2011)

6. TAP & BOTTLED WATER SAFETY
Regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Maximum Contaminants Levels (MCLs)
96 contaminants included
EPA has standards for 11 contaminants that FDA does not
Public alerts for boil water orders or other advisories when contaminants exceed standards
BOTTLED
Regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Standards of Quality (SOQ)
91 contaminants included
FDA has standards for 4 contaminants that EPA does not
Water not allowed sold for consumption when SOQ not met or recalls mandated
(Hirst, 2011)

7. TAP & BOTTLED WATER SAFETY
Fluoride added to prevent caries
May be implicated in flouridosis and bone cancer
Filters available to remove by choice
BOTTLED
Fluoride available as additive in some brands
Other additives available for designer waters such as: caffeine, additional mineral content, sweeteners
(Moeller, 2011)

8. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
2007 – bottled water demand required between 32 and 54 million barrels of oil for production and distribution, 2000 times more energy intensive than tap water
Up to 40% of bottled water is filtered tap water for resale
U.S. citizens may spend up to $1,400.00/year for bottled water – the same amount of tap water may cost 49 cents.
(Pacific Institute, 2009)
(Carbon Conscious Consumer, 2012)
(The New York Times, 2007)

9. BOTTLED WATER WASTE MANAGEMENT
86% in U.S. are discarded as trash
Burning discarded plastic bottles releases toxic chemicals such as chlorine gas and ash containing heavy metals
Plastic does not biodegrade, it photodegrades –
exposed to elements it breaks down to tiny particles contaminating food and water sources often eaten by marine animals then killing them or contaminating the food cycle
The Great Pacific Plastic Trash Island
(Carbon Conscious Consumer, 2012)
(Moore, 2009)

10. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS & DRINKING WATER SAFETY
loss of power to water treatment facilities or flood contamination due to natural disaster can affect availability of drinkable water
The American Red Cross has suggestions for treatment of contaminated water
Personal solar desalination device by University of Alabama developers available to yield 4-6 liters per day of drinkable water
(Country Farm Lifestyles, 2012)

11. AMERICAN RED CROSS WATER DECONTAMINATION
Filter water with cloth or coffee filter
Boil on camp stove or over fire for 1 full minute
Cool for 30 minutes before treating with plain household bleach
Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon or 8 drops per 2 liter bottle of water
Let stand for 30 minutes
(American Red Cross, 2012)

12. CONCLUSION
Both tap water and bottled water in the United States have safety records substantiating each as a suitable drinking choice…but at what cost?
A responsible consumer choice clearly demonstrates the need to return to the tap

13. REFERENCES
Albuquerque, C. & Roaf, V. (2012, February). On the right track: Good practices in realising the rights to water and sanitation. World Water Council. Retrieved from nTheRightTrackBook.pdf
American Red Cross. (2012). Fact sheet: Post-disaster water treatment. Retrieved from
Carbon Conscious Consumer. (2012). C3 campaign. Retrieved from
Country Farm Lifestyles. (2012). Personal solar desalination device for clean drinking water. Retrieved from

14. REFERENCES
Hirst, R. (2011, October). Bottled water and tap water just the facts: A comparison of regulatory requirements for quality and monitoring of drinking water in the United States. Drinking Water Research Foundation (DWRF). Retrieved from %20Final.pdf
Moeller, D. W. (2011). Environmental health (4th ed.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. ISBN:
Moore, Charles. (2009, March, 17). Charles Moore: The great pacific plastic trash island [video] Algalita Marine Research Foundation (AMRF). Retrieved from
Pacific Institute. (2009, February). New study reports bottled water use 2000 times more energy intensive than tap water. Retrieved from

15. REFERENCES
The New York Times. (2007, August 1). In praise of tap water. Retrieved from