Running Water

Surface water: this includes fresh water on the earth's surface - lakes, ponds, standing water, rivers, streams and brooks... Surface water can come from different, often difficult to identify sources (rain or springs) and is in direct contact with the atmosphere and the surrounding environment; surface water is particularly subject to contamination, viruses and pollution from various sources (industrial, agricultural, domestic, animal). It is almost always unfit for drinking.

Rainwater: water passing through the atmosphere captures natural gas present in the atmosphere (nitrogen, oxygen and CO2) as well as different pollution related to gases, particularly what is given off by heavy industry, residential areas and vehicles. It is difficult to identify exactly what types of pollution rainwater may have come in contact with in the atmosphere. It is therefore not recommended for drinking.

Springs and wells: In many places the traditional method of getting drinking water; the groundwater resulting from rain is often not stored very deep underground. In this case, it is particularly sensitive to pollution from the soil - nitrates, phosphates, pesticides... Without adequate measuring devices, it is hard to know how pure the water we are drinking really is. Boiling water eliminates a certain amount of contaminants, such as bacteria, but this step is not always sufficient to make water potable.

Tap Water

In industrialised countries, tap water is regulated by law and treated to guarantee that is meets certain health criteria. However, in many developing countries, it is not always suitable for drinking.

There is great variation in the quality of water that comes out of our taps. Depending on the country and the region, water comes from different, sometimes mixed, sources - surface water, underground sources or even desalinated seawater, as is the case in the Middle East. It undergoes desinfection and chemical treatments, such as chlorine addition that affect the original taste of the water. The processes and level of monitoring vary greatly throughout the world. This water then flows through pipes made of different materials that date from different times and are hermetically sealed to varying degrees, all of which greatly influences the quality of the water that arrives in a home. Every second, millions of litres of water are wasted due to leaks and poorly maintained pipes in water systems throughout the world. Based on current water usage levels, the OECD estimates that in 2007 some $20 billion would be necessary simply to maintain the water distribution networks in place all over the world.

Several types of domestic filters are sold that improve the characteristics of tap water. Depending on the type of filter, the protection it provides represents a more or less reliable barrier against chemical, mineral or bacteriological elements. Most importantly, regular maintenance of this sort of equipment is crucial to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Bottled Water

The bottled water industry is regulated through multiple regulations at the international, national and industry levels. Government regulation of bottled water is very stringent: for instance in the US or in Europe, water regulations are among the strictest in the food industry.

Bottled water is not only regulated under food regulation, but also in accordance with local specific legislation as well as packaging and food contact standards. In addition to this, international standards and guidelines set by the Codex Alimentarius and World Health Organization, which is then reinforced by industry self-regulation, ensures the highest level of safety and quality for bottled water.
All of these regulations combined make bottled water one of the safest food products available for human consumption. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, bottled water has been associated in the United States with only 10 incidents resulting in possible cases of illness in the past 35 years, that's one case per billions of litres consumed.
A large number of local, national and international companies are present on the bottled water market. The demanding quality policies that these companies put in place and apply on a daily basis are the central elements in guaranteeing that consumers enjoy safe, quality water.
Lastly, different kinds of bottled water may vary greatly from one to the next. While there are various names according to different national and international regulations, bottled water can nonetheless be classed in one of 3 major families.

Natural Mineral Water
As defined by EU Directives and Codex Standard is underground, protected water which is stable in mineral composition, microbiologically pure and bottled at source. The characteristic of mineral content must appear on the label as to inform the consumers in their choice. It may have benefic properties for human health approved by Health Authorities and properly labelled. No disinfection treatments are allowed and no additional minerals or vitamins or other ingredients are permitted, only carbon dioxyde can be added or removed.

Spring waters
Spring water, as defined by the European Union, is underground water which is intended for human consumption in its natural state, and bottled at the source. Spring water has to comply with the conditions of exploitation and the microbiological requirements applicable to natural mineral water.
Spring water as defined by the USA is water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth at an identified location. Several types of physical treatments are permitted.

Purified or drinking water
This is water that may originate from any type of water supply that has been treated with additional processes such as microfiltration, distillation, deionization or reverse osmosis. These treatments generally go beyond what public suppliers can do. This type of bottled water is usually labelled as purified water or drinking water.

To summarise: