Bottled water is protected by a multi-barrier approach which may include steps such as source protection, source monitoring, reverse osmosis, micron filtration, distillation, final disinfection and Good Manufacturing Practices.  All members of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), which represents 85 percent of the bottled water sold in the U.S., employ such practices to ensure bottled water quality.  In addition, as a requirement of membership, all IBWA bottler members must adhere to the association's quality assurance program.

Many bottled waters comes from natural sources like springs or wells that originate from deep within the earth.  These protected sources are inspected, tested and certified by the state or country of origin to be of sanitary quality.  These bottled waters do not come from surface water sources where certain types of organisms, such as cryptosporidium, are found.

Bottled waters may also come from treated municipal supplies.  All IBWA member companies that use municipal sources employ processing methods, such as reverse osmosis, micron filtration, distillation and/or ozonation to remove chemical and microbiological contaminants, including cryptosporidium and to ensure the water is of high quality.

IBWA member companies employ combinations of the following multi-barrier practices.

Source protection:  Protected underground sources, such as springs and wells, are inspected, tested and certified by the state or country of origin to be of sanitary quality and void of surface water influence.

Reverse osmosis:  Using this process, water is forced under pressure through membranes which remove 90 percent of the dissolved minerals.

Ozonation:  Ozonation is a disinfection process using ozone gas (O3), a form of oxygen, instead of chlorine.  Ozone is an effective water disinfectant which does not leave a residual taste, color or odor to water.

Micron filtration:  Extremely fine filtration removes most types of particles or contaminants.

Distillation:  The water is first vaporized.  Because most dissolved minerals are too heavy to be vaporized, they are left behind.  The water, free of dissolved minerals is then condensed.

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs):    GMPs are requirements that affect all aspects of plant operations, including factory construction and design; sanitation operations, equipment and procedures; manufacturing equipment, operations and procedures; and administrative/personnel procedures such as record-keeping and employee training.  Strict adherence to GMPs is a federal mandate for bottled water producers and plays an integral role in ensuring a quality product.  Bottlers must adhere to general GMPs for foods and the GMPs that the FDA has put forth specifically for bottled waters.

Testing:  All bottled water companies are required to test both source water and finished product for the following:

• Organics, such as pesticides, herbicides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Inorganics which are minerals present in water such as lead, copper, zinc, chloride
• Microbiological contaminants, such as coliform
• Radiologicals, such as radionuclides
• Physical properties, such as turgidity, color

IBWA Quality Assurance Program:  In addition to federal and state requirements, IBWA members, as a requirement of membership, must submit to an annual unannounced plant inspection administered by NSF International, an independent, internationally-recognized inspection organization.  This inspection audits adherence to quality standards and maintenance testing of records, reviews all areas of plant operation from source through finished product and checks compliance with FDA quality standards and Good Manufacturing Practices, as well as any state regulations.

Consumers with questions about bottled water may call IBWA toll-free at 1-800-WATER-11 (1-800-928-3711) or their local bottler for more information.

Read what the 1923 New York City Commissioner of Health wrote about MIDAS SPRING WATER J