Bottled water labeling

An NRDC test of nearly 1ꯠ samples of 103 brands of bottled water found one-third of the brands failed to meet industry or state purity standards, though most were of good quality, and none of the samples posed a health concern. Some 22% of the samples exceeded California's limits for arsenic and carcinogenic synthetic organic compounds. The NRDC wants the contaminant limits to match those of California or the federal standards for tap water. With increases in consumer consumption of bottled water hitting double digits each year, NRDC is concerned that consumers are being misled by marketing claims. While not addressing the specifics of the NRDC's report, FDA reiterated that "bottled water poses no significant public health risk and is, therefore, safe to consume." The Intl. Bottled Water Assn. noted the report's conclusion that most of the water tested was of good quality and none raised health concerns. According to IBWA, there have been no confirmed reports of illness or disease associated with drinking bottled water in 37 years.