September, 10 2008, 04:00pm EDT
Bottled Water Must Be Better Tested, Labeled and Regulated
NRDC Expert to Testify Today on Toxic Contaminants, Right to Know
WASHINGTON
The bottled water that millions of Americans drink each day is
allowed to contain higher levels of a toxic chemical associated with
birth defects and cancer than tap water, according to a bottled water
expert from the Natural Resources Defense Council who will testify in
the Senate today.
In her
testimony before the subcommittee responsible for drinking water
quality, NRDC attorney Mae Wu will stress that Americans have the right
to know what toxic chemicals and other contaminants are in their
bottled water. Currently water utilities are required to report
annually to customers about the contaminants they have tested for and
whether any health standards have been violated. There is no such
requirement for bottled water.
"The
public should not assume that water purchased in a bottle is better
regulated, more pure, or safer than most tap water. Water utilities are
required to tell the public more about their tap water than bottled
water companies are. We need better standards and stronger reporting
requirements for bottled water. Everyone deserves safe and affordable
drinking water. The best way to get there is to invest in our tap water
systems, not turn to bottled water," Wu said.
The hearing, before the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality, is scheduled for 3:00 in Dirksen 406. To read Wu's complete testimony, go to https://docs.nrdc.org/water/wat_08091001A.pdf.
NRDC works to safeguard the earth--its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. We combine the power of more than three million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and policy advocates across the globe to ensure the rights of all people to the air, the water, and the wild.
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