The Environmental Working Group (EWG) found a “surprising array of chemical contaminants” in the ten brands of bottled water it analyzed including Walmart's Sam’s Choice and Giant Supermarket’s Acadia brands.
Those two brands bore the “chemical signature“ of municipally treated water: chlorine disinfection byproducts and, in Giant water, fluoride.
“In other words, this bottled water was chemically indistinguishable from tap water,“ said the report.
The report singled out Walmart in several instances and alleged that Sam's Choice bottled water purchased at several locations in the San Francisco Bay area exceeded California's legal limit for trihalomethanes (disinfection byproducts).
“These byproducts are linked to cancer and reproductive problems and form when disinfectants react with residual pollution in the water,“ said the report.
Tap Water Put in Bottles
“Las Vegas tap water was the source for these bottles, according to Walmart representatives,“ it continued.
Walmart spokesperson Anna Taylor said the company was not commenting on the issue beyond a prepared statement because of legal issues.
“The statement is all we can provide,” she said.
In the statement, Walmart said it stands behind its bottled water and is “puzzled” by the EWG’s findings.
But Nneka Leiba, one of EWG’s researchers with a master's degree in public health from John Hopkins University, said the group stands behind their tests.
“We feel very strongly in the test results that we got,” she said.
“We were surprised that the bottled waters looked so close to tap water, especially at the cost people are paying for them.”
Multiple Companies Implicated
Leiba said EWG was not targeting any specific company and only the names of the Walmart and Giant Supermarket bottled water brands are being released because those are the only two that large samples were taken from.
She described their research as a “snapshot” of the bottled-water market as it is today.
EWG conducted the study over two years and tested bottled water purchased in nine states and the District of Columbia. Their report says more than a third of the chemicals found are not regulated in bottled water. Four brands were contaminated with bacteria, it said.
Among the contaminants found in the ten brands tested were coliform bacteria, fertilizer, solvents, pain medication, and even strontium, a radioactive element.
In response, the organization is calling on the FDA to enforce stricter regulations.
The group also wants bottled water subject to the same regulations as tap water and for bottlers to share the results of tests of their products. Treatment techniques and the name and location of the source of the water should also be disclosed, said the report.
“We just don’t think the consumer should have any confidence with the bottled water industry. What’s in their bottle, they just don’t know.”
Consumers can get equal quality or better water from an activated carbon filter said Leiba, adding that reverse osmosis filtration was also good if you could afford it.
EWG, an organization founded by scientists that advocates stricter regulation, also called on regulators to protect water sources and clean up polluted rivers, streams and aquifers. Leiba echoed that sentiment.
“The ultimate fix for clean water is source-water protection.”
