Gov't confirms that bottled waters isn't safe

Water, water everywhere and not a drop that's safe. A new report to Congress from the Government Office of Accountability acknowledges that bottled water may not be the cleanest water to drink—and in fact might be hazardous to your health. The GOA's findings are neatly summed up in the report's title: "FDA Safety and Consumer Protection Are Often Less Stringent Than Comparable EPA Protections for Tap Water." In other words, while the EPA is tightly regulating the quality of tap water, the FDA (which treats bottled water as a food) is not ensuring the quality and safety of water in bottles. In addition, bottled water contains potential toxins released from the bottles themselves, such as bisphenol A and other endocrine disrupters. "Worst of all, drinking bottled water makes people less apt to be vigilant about protecting public water supplies," says Marion Nestle, professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University.