How Safe Is Canadian Bottled Water?

By Author: Constance Martinez
Total Articles: 624
Comment this article

How safe is the bottled water that is sold to consumers in sealed containers.

Bottled water is usually labeled as "spring" or "mineral" water and comes from various sources that may have been treated to make it fit for human consumption and put in sealed containers for sale. In Canada, pre-packaged water (bottled water) is considered to be a food and is regulated under Division 12 of the Food and Drug Regulations.

Can bacteria be found in bottled water?

Bacteria are found in most bottled waters sold for drinking purposes. Bottled water is usually disinfected to remove harmful organisms, but is not intended to sterilize the water. Usually, sterile water is reserved for pharmaceuticals. Many studies have shown that the levels of bacteria increase quickly to maximum levels after six weeks of unrefrigerated shelf life. However, since disinfection (ultra-violet (UV) light, or ozonation) destroys the harmful organisms, this natural regrowth of harmless flora of the water is not considered to be a health hazard. Refrigeration is recommended after the water container is opened in case harmful bacteria are reintroduced ...
... at this time.

Can you get sick by drinking bottled water?

Untreated or inadequately treated water from wells and other sources can contain sufficient numbers of disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, parasites and viruses to cause illness. Health Canada is coordinating the development of the "Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality" and Canadians can rest assured that Canada indeed does have high quality drinking water. These guidelines are intended to apply to all drinking water supplies.

Illness caused by bottled water is very rare in Canada because it is treated, disinfected and monitored to ensure the absence of harmful organisms. According to the most recent information, no waterborne disease outbreaks have been associated with the consumption of bottled water in Canada. Published reports have shown that in countries where manufacturing practices are not as strict as in Canada, improperly manufactured bottled water has led to outbreaks of cholera and typhoid, and to "Traveller's Disease".

Bottled water is defined as follows:

Bottled water labelled mineral or spring water is a potable water (fit for human consumption) that comes from an underground source. It cannot come from a public water supply. Mineral water is spring water with a larger amount of dissolved mineral salts, usually above 500 milligrams per litre of total dissolved solids. (The content may vary depending on specific regulations in different countries. For example, in the United States, mineral water contains more than 250 milligrams per litre of total dissolved solids.) Mineral and spring waters must not have their composition modified through the use of chemicals, but carbon dioxide and ozone can be added during the bottling process to protect the freshness.

Bottled water not represented as mineral or spring water, is water from any source (municipal water, well water, etc) that can be treated to make it fit for human consumption or to modify its composition. Treatments include carbonation, ozonation, ultraviolet irradiation, and filtration to remove harmful bacteria. These bottled waters can be distilled or passed through different deionization processes to remove their minerals, or they are simply municipal tap waters bottled for sale. The label on these water containers must show how they have been treated, for example "carbonated", "demineralized" or "distilled".

All bottled water offered for sale must be safe for people to consume. Mineral or spring water must not contain any coliform bacteria or harmful substances at the source. Other bottled waters may undergo a variety of treatments and should meet the regulatory requirements for coliform and aerobic bacteria.

Pre-packaged ice also has to comply with the regulations. Because they are foods, pre-packaged (bottled) water and ice also have to comply with all of the provisions of the Canadian Food and Drugs Act. No person shall sell an article of food that was manufactured, prepared, preserved, packaged, stored, or has been subject to any unsanitary conditions from the manufacturing stage through to retail.
You can search for and find additional health related articles at this information source More at How Safe Is Canadian Bottled Water?