| Bottled Drinking Water |
| Water is classified as bottled drinking water if it meets all applicable federal and state standards for drinking water, is sealed in a sanitary container and is sold for human consumption. Bottled drinking water cannot contain sweeteners or chemical additives (other than flavors, extracts or essences) and bottled drinking water must be calorie-free and sugar-free. Flavors, extracts and essences derived from spice or fruit can be added to bottled drinking water, but these additions must comprise less than one percent by weight of the final bottled drinking water product. Beverages containing more than the one-percent-by-weight flavor limit are classified as soft drinks, not bottled drinking water. In addition, bottled drinking water may be sodium-free or contain very low amounts of sodium. Some bottled drinking water contains natural or added carbonation. The sales of bottled drinking water have exploded in recent years, as drinking water quality concerns and fitness and health awareness continue to increase. Bottled drinking water sold in the United States, however, is not necessarily cleaner or safer than most tap water. In fact, some bottled drinking water, such as dematerialized water or distilled drinking water, is simply tap water that has undergone a process to lower the mineral content and to remove chemicals such as chlorine. All bottled drinking water represented as spring water or mineral water, however, must come from a potable underground source and not from a community water supply. Home Page | FAQs | Glossary | Contact Us |