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Help EWG do bottled water research - and win a prize!
Last year we took a close look at 100s of bottled water labels to see how good (or bad) manufacturers are at sharing important information with consumers - like my mother, who buys it by the box (me = biting tongue; gotta pick your battles, right?).
When you buy water to drink (crazy as that even sounds), you should know where it comes from, how it's purified and what's left in it. But too often, bottled water labels have more silly (and misleading) sales lingo than useful information that you might want to make an informed decision about the water you drink.
Which is exactly why we like to look closely at bottled water labels.
Send us your labels so we can continue our research
EWG wants to see if bottled water companies have improved since we looked at them in 2009, or if they're still conveniently skipping the facts with dreamy phrases like "purified by equatorial winds," "pure as the driven snow," and (get this one) "resonates with the energy and frequency of well-being." Ha!
But first, we need some labels. And that's where you come in.
Here's how to get involved:
- The next time you buy a bottle of water in the U.S. (there are those times when you just might "have" to), choose a non-sparkling, unflavored water bottled in glass or clear plastic.
- Carefully remove the entire label from the bottle. We need all the information from the label, so if necessary, cut the plastic around the label to get it all off.
- Write down:
* Name and location of the store where you purchased the water
* Date you purchased the water
* Your name, email and mailing address - Let us know you're sending us labels - it'll help us plan. Click here to send a note to EWG researchers.
- Mail your labels and other information to:
Environmental Working Group
Attn: Nneka Leiba
1436 U St. NW, Suite 100
Washington, DC 20009
What bottled water labels aren't telling you
In 2009 we examined 100's of bottled water labels, thanks to terrific participation from fans who collected and sent them our way. We found that only 2 of 188 bottled waters surveyed make public 3 basic facts about their products routinely disclosed by municipal water utilities: the water's source, purification methods, and chemical pollutants remaining after treatment.
The reason: bottled water companies enjoy a regulatory holiday under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which grants them complete latitude to decide what, if any, information about their water is divulged to customers.
Prizes for all and a Klean Kanteen for sending the most
Whoever sends the most labels (duplicates not counting) by Friday, April 30th will win a stainless steel water bottle with the EWG logo and a jumbo-sized, reusable grocery tote printed with EWG's pollution solutions tips. Plus, everyone who participates will get a Shopper's Guide to Pesticides magnet!
Would you like your survey to include bottled water labels from New Zealand?
Regards,
Phil Petursson
peturssonphil@hotmail.com
We only need labels from bottles purchased in the US because only those are under the US FDA. Thanks, Lisa
Sending lable from Nestles water, purchased at Walmart in Fairmont WV. on 3/12/10
Perhaps we should be requesting a recent copy of their water test? In Maine, they do not have the same testing requirements as public water supplies, but I have requested test results before from Poland Spring.
I've noticed a very disturbing trend here in Canada...fluoride is being added to previously unfluoridated bottled water which is the reason I switched in the first place! The fluoride content is in such tiny print that most people wouldn't even notice! My choices have become very slim indeed!
I was told distilled water is the best, so I swiched to it ever since. I still wonder if that is the answer to the matter, though.
Dear All,
This is a comment from Germany where we found out, as you comment here, to have on the market hundreths of different labels on water bottels. With different ingredients of a certain percentage.
The offered drinking waters generally passes a chimical examination and also is announced the dry residuous contained. So the people can choose to obtain the best for her health, but it would be necessary a profund knowledge about the percentage of the single waters chimical/mineral contain.
This is not the case by the majority of the people, consequently are used waters not healthy and sometimes health destructive for the body. The ugly fact is what is genuine for a person in a family, can be wrong for another member of the same family. Wrong choosed waters can cause diseases as eruptions and itch all over the bodies skin. And you cannot stop it with medicamentation, except you change the mineral water. The same results you get sometimes with milk and eggs consumption.
I resolved this ancient disease, who is different from person to person with a trick, so said. In my family and my friends surroundings we are free from such events since many years and in good health. Advice: do not drink distilled water, such waters does`nt contain the needed minerals. Fluorids only in some cases, where in a country fails it really and the people has so said
"marmored teethes". Often waters from valid controlled municipal waters are better as bottled ones. This is my meaning about, from a man who elaborates hydro maps since 35 years to give drinking water to the people all over the world.
With my best wishes - Hans Precht
I would like you all to know that thanks to the fine work EWG is doing and my daughter in particular(a mom's perogative) and a lovely gift of a stainless steel EWG logo water bottle, we only occasionally buy bottled water any more.....why we even carry our own empty bottles through airport security, filling them via the airport water fountain as Lisa has told me that except for taste that water is as safe to drink as any bottled water. We forgot our bottles the other evening and so bought one bottle, and I'll be sending you that one Lisa!!!! Hugs, Mom