Bottled Water

Bottled water in the United States is regulated by different agencies than those that regulate drinking water. Because of this, there are differences in the reporting requirements for water testing that make it more difficult to determine the safety and content of bottled water when compared to tap water.

In the United States, drinking water is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA sets two standards for drinking water in public water supplies: primary and secondary. Primary standards are legally enforceable and established to protect human health. They place concentration limits on specific pollutants within drinking water, known as maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). Secondary standards are not enforceable and are established to guide the aesthetic quality of water.

Water from a public water supply ...