Title: Bottled Water: Creating Purity or Creating Waste?

Author: Christina Walker

Abstract: Modernly, purity exists more prevalent in our mental constructions of nature than in reality. In 2002, about one-fourth of public drinking water systems violated safe drinking water standards. Resultantly, people purchase purified water, spring water, or mineral water under the assumption that these products are clean of the toxins that exist in city tap water. However, about one-third of bottled water violates drinking water standards as well. Additionally, bottled water manufacturing and transportation pollute natural resources. Even in Salem, Oregon, where water is of excellent quality, people still chose to drink bottled water. Consumers are essentially paying for the empty idea of increased purity. This concept, ironically, results in greater toxicity around the planet. To stop the downward trap, people must stop accepting that purity exist in the distance and start demanding that it exist everywhere.

To check the safe drinking water act violations for tap water in your town click here: http://www.safe-drinking-water.org/rtk.html

To look into the contaminants found in your favorite brand of bottled water visit this sight: www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/appa.asp?pf=-1

Key References:

Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov

Food and Drug Administration: www.fda.gov

Salem Public Works: www.cityofsalem.net

Safe Drinking Water Information Center : www.epa.gov/safewater/data.html

Natural Resource Defence Council: www.nrdc.org

International Bottled Water Association: www.bottledwater.org

The Bottled Water Web: www.bottledwaterweb.com

Opel, Andy. Constructing Purity: Bottled Water and the Commodification of Nature. Journal of American Culture. 2001: 67.

Return to Water Resources Papers page.

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Date: May 2003
Student: *@willamette.edu
ENVR 327: Water Resources
Instructor: Dr. Karen Arabas
http://www.willamette.edu/~karabas/courses/envr327w