Regulation and Quality Control
Bottled water is regulated by the FDA like any other food product. Bottlers must regularly test their source water and perform quality control on their bottled products for safety and contaminant levels. They also must bottle water using sanitary practices and monitor the source for any contamination.
Source and Contamination Monitoring
Bottled water from a natural spring isn’t necessarily 100 percent pure, but less likely contaminated by anything man-made. However, if someone pollutes water upstream, residue from that contamination can travel downstream.
Water Comparison
DC tap water ranges from 200 PPM to 400+ PPM in total dissolved solids, which measures soluble impurities concentration in pure H2O.
Blind tests often reveal indiscernible differences between tap and bottled water. Despite claims of taste distinctions and bottled water often marketed as superior or purer than tap water, it frequently originates from municipal water supplies.
Consumption and Perception
In 2022, the U.S. consumed 15.9 billion gallons of bottled water, 120 billion water bottles. The FDA prohibits bottled water manufacturers from implying their water is "safer" or "purer" than any other kind of water, but implications are difficult to quantify. Many bottled-water drinkers believe they drink something healthier than tap water.