Transcript Drink to Your Health: The impact of your drinking water choice By: Rhonda Jill Noriega PhD student Walden University PUBH 8165-2 Dr.

Drink to Your Health:
The impact of your drinking
water choice
By:
Rhonda Jill Noriega
PhD student
Walden University
PUBH 8165-2
Dr. Raymond Thron
Spring Quarter 2012
CONTENTS
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Introduction
Water safety authority
Tap and bottled water safety
Other considerations
Bottled water waste management
Disaster preparedness
Conclusion
References
INTRODUCTION
• “The rights to water and sanitation entitle
everyone to sufficient quantities of safe water
and sanitation services that are affordable,
accessible, culturally acceptable, and which are
delivered in a participatory, accountable and
non-discriminatory manner.”
United Nations Human Rights Council
special reporter, Catarina de Albuqerque
(Albuquerque, & Roaf, 2012)
INTRODUCTION
• 3 million people die every year from waterrelated causes…..most are children
• John Snow connected water source to disease
outbreak in London in the 1800’s
• United States 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act –
established federal protection for drinking water
sources
(Moeller, 2011)
WATER SAFETY AUTHORITY
• United States municipal tap water safety is
regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)
• Local water treatment facilities test and report
their findings to comply with the EPA’s regulations
• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
jurisdiction over bottled water as a packaged food
product
(Hirst, 2011)
TAP & BOTTLED WATER SAFETY
TAP
BOTTLED
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Regulated by the
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) for Maximum
Contaminants Levels (MCLs)
– 96 contaminants included
– EPA has standards for 11
contaminants that FDA does
not
Public alerts for boil water
orders or other advisories
when contaminants exceed
standards
•
Regulated by the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA)
for Standards of Quality
(SOQ)
– 91 contaminants included
– FDA has standards for 4
contaminants that EPA does
not
Water not allowed sold for
consumption when SOQ not
met or recalls mandated
(Hirst, 2011)
TAP & BOTTLED WATER SAFETY
TAP
BOTTLED
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Fluoride added to prevent
caries
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May be implicated in flouridosis and
bone cancer
Filters available to remove by choice
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Fluoride available as additive
in some brands
Other additives available for
designer waters such as:
caffeine, additional mineral
content, sweeteners
(Moeller, 2011)
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
• 2007 – bottled water demand required between 32 and
54 million barrels of oil for production and distribution,
2000 times more energy intensive than tap water
(Pacific Institute, 2009)
• Up to 40% of bottled water is filtered tap water for resale
(Carbon Conscious Consumer, 2012)
• U.S. citizens may spend up to $1,400.00/year for bottled
water – the same amount of tap water may cost 49 cents.
(The New York Times, 2007)
BOTTLED WATER
WASTE MANAGEMENT
• 86% in U.S. are discarded as trash
• Burning discarded plastic bottles releases toxic chemicals
such as chlorine gas and ash containing heavy metals
• Plastic does not biodegrade, it photodegrades –
– exposed to elements it breaks down to tiny particles contaminating
food and water sources often eaten by marine animals then killing
them or contaminating the food cycle
(Carbon Conscious Consumer, 2012)
• The Great Pacific Plastic Trash Island
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en4XzfR0FE8&feature=related
(Moore, 2009)
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS &
DRINKING WATER SAFETY
• loss of power to water treatment facilities or
flood contamination due to natural disaster can
affect availability of drinkable water
• The American Red Cross has suggestions for
treatment of contaminated water
• Personal solar desalination device by University
of Alabama developers available to yield 4-6
liters per day of drinkable water
(Country Farm Lifestyles, 2012)
AMERICAN RED CROSS
WATER DECONTAMINATION
• Filter water with cloth or coffee filter
• Boil on camp stove or over fire for 1 full minute
• Cool for 30 minutes before treating with plain
household bleach
• Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon or 8 drops per
2 liter bottle of water
• Let stand for 30 minutes
(American Red Cross, 2012)
CONCLUSION
• Both tap water and bottled water in the United
States have safety records substantiating each
as a suitable drinking choice…but at what cost?
• A responsible consumer choice clearly
demonstrates the need to return to the tap
REFERENCES
Albuquerque, C. & Roaf, V. (2012, February). On the right track: Good practices in realising the
rights to water and sanitation. World Water Council. Retrieved from
http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/fileadmin/wwc/Library/Publications_and_reports/O
nTheRightTrackBook.pdf
American Red Cross. (2012). Fact sheet: Post-disaster water treatment. Retrieved from
http://www.in.gov/dhs/files/water_treatment.pdf
Carbon Conscious Consumer. (2012). C3 campaign. Retrieved from http://205.153.117.210/c3/
Country Farm Lifestyles. (2012). Personal solar desalination device for clean drinking water.
Retrieved from http://www.countryfarm-lifestyles.com/solar-desalination.html
REFERENCES
Hirst, R. (2011, October). Bottled water and tap water just the facts: A comparison of regulatory
requirements for quality and monitoring of drinking water in the United States.
Drinking Water Research Foundation (DWRF). Retrieved from
http://www.thefactsaboutwater.org/uploads/BW%20PWS%20Just%20the%20Facts%20
2011%20Final.pdf
Moeller, D. W. (2011). Environmental health (4th ed.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press. ISBN: 978-0674047402
Moore, Charles. (2009, March, 17). Charles Moore: The great pacific plastic trash island [video].
Algalita Marine Research Foundation (AMRF). Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en4XzfR0FE8&feature=related
Pacific Institute. (2009, February). New study reports bottled water use 2000 times more energy
intensive than tap water. Retrieved from
http://www.pacinst.org/press_center/press_releases/bottled_water_0209.html
REFERENCES
The New York Times. (2007, August 1). In praise of tap water. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/01/opinion/01wed2.html