The articles and reviews used as references for this Sample Report are intended for use ONLY with this sample assignment. Some information contained in these references has been altered or invented for the purposes of this project, and should not be used in any other context.
REVIEWS AND ARTICLES
The following are the articles for you to use as the basis for your research into your bottled water report. Restrict your research to the universe of articles below in preparing your report. Don't perform any other research on your own. Use what is here only.
The material below is segmented into two groups. The first group is a list of reviews ranked according to the ConsumerSearch ranking criteria by a research associate who works for ConsumerSearch. (You may disagree with the ranking, however, and are welcome to re-order the reviews if you wish).
The second section of articles entitles “General References” are other important articles that you should read. However, these additional articles vary in credibility. It is for you to decide how much of the information from these articles to include in your report. These articles, because they do not actually contain reviews, would not normally appear in our All Reviews section. However, they might be cited in the main report, and might be included in a section of Best Research for the topic.
Reviews for the ConsumerSearch All Reviews Chart
Click on each publication name to view the full article.
Is Bottled Water Better Than Tap?
John Stossel and Editors
May 6, 2005
In this hands-on test, staffers from 20/20 took water samples from a drinking fountain in New York City, along with five brands of bottled water, submitting them for bacterial analysis. No difference was found between the tap water and the bottled water in terms of safety. Next, staffers conducted a blind taste test, asking people to rate the five bottled waters plus the tap water. Interestingly, the tap water finished about in the middle. First place went to an inexpensive water from K-Mart (American Fare), followed by Aquafina in second and Deer Park in third place. The least favorite was Evian.
2. Real Simple
Bottled Water Taste Test
Amanda Hinnant
May 2001
Although outdated and not very detailed, this ten-water review does include taste tests of some of the most popular brands of bottled water. Aberfoyle (now called Nestle Pure Life) is said to be best, followed by Crystal Geyser and Dannon. Lowest ranking Poland Spring "has that slightly stale taste of a glass of water that's been sitting around for a while." Aquafina has "a slight papery taste in the mouth and a bitterness in the aftertaste."
Bottled Twaddle
Michael Shermer
July 2003
This informative article reports on some older scientific analysis of bottled water finding that bottled water is no healthier or tastier than tap water. The article references a Good Morning America report from 2001 in which taste testers preferred New York City tap water over Poland Spring, O-2 bottled water and Evian (in that order).
Tricks of the Trade
Hosted by Leanza Cornett
Feb. 27, 2007
A synopsis of this television show can be found online. Tap water and bottled water regulations are discussed along with a blind taste test in which 40% of respondents preferred Aquafina (33%) and Deer Park (27%) water over Los Angeles tap water (17%), filtered tap water (13%) and Evian bottled water (10%).
5. Bill's Water World (blog entry)
Aquafina ships water using new filtration process
Bill Peterson
Apr. 5, 2007
Bottled-water connoisseur Bill Peterson maintains this blog and contributes water news and reviews for other publications. In this entry, Peterson compares samples of Aquafina bottled water. Several bottles predate the company's new filtration process, while other bottles were produced using PepsiCo's new HydRO-7 filtration. Peterson strongly prefers the Aquafina produced using the older process, saying that the newer samples were "lacking in character" with a "bland and slightly sour finish."
6. Boston Globe
Water Wars
Bruce Mohl
Sept. 18, 2005
This test uses several expert testers, who presumably have a more informed palate than the rest of us. Interestingly, even the experts couldn't tell the difference between tap water and bottled water (Aquafina, Acadia and Fiji brands). The three bottled waters also underwent chemical analysis. The Fiji water had a higher heterotrophic plate count -- a background bacterium that can indicate whether conditions are favorable for the formation of other bacteria. The tap waters had trace amounts of lead and more sodium than the bottled waters, but not enough of either to be of concern.
7. The Nibble.com
http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/beverages/waters/index.asp
The Best Mineral Waters & Spring Waters
Dr. Michael Mascha, editor
As of 2007
Michael Mascha (also the founder of FineWaters.com) collects Nibble reviews of 21 bottled waters dating from 2005 through present. Each review is extensive, with a capsule report followed by a detailed discussion including a chemical analysis. There are no ratings here, however, and it's hard to tell which might be overall favorites. In addition, only fancy bottled waters are included rather than mass-market brands. The Nibble site also has links to bottled water-related articles and a “water glossary.”
Source Material
Aja Mangum
Nov. 8, 2004
Included here are two-sentence reviews and prices of eight gourmet bottled waters from all over the world. Though there's very little information here, the bottled waters do appear to have been taste tasted. Fiji is said to be the "best option at the average deli."
Water
Eva Strand
July 1999
This article reports on a casual test of six bottled waters in Moscow, Idaho. Although there's no 'winner,' the comments for each are interesting, including opinions on aftertaste, mineral-tastes or plastic-y bottle tastes.
10. BevNet.com
http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/categories.asp?T=4
Water News & Reviews
Editors and Contributors to BevNet.com
Not Dated
Listed here are a handful of reviews for bottled water. Some short reviews include a rating and reader comments, but there are many discontinued brands listed here. Only about five waters actually receive a review, and most of the comments are very positive. Chippewa Springs water seems to be the site favorite.
Bad to the Last Drop
Tom Standage
Aug. 1, 2005
In this op-ed piece, Tom Standage says he and some friends had a water tasting, and could not tell the difference between tap water and bottled water. A few studies are cited, but mostly, this opinion piece asserts that bottled water in developed countries is a waste of resources and no better for you than tap water.
12. Forbes
Everybody In The Water!
Susan Yara
Apr. 13, 2006
This is an article about the water industry rather than a review on bottled water. There is an accompanying slide show on "nine of the most interesting bottled waters on the market." None of these appear to have been tested, nor are they recommended.
13. Hatrack.com
Bottled Water, Google, and Graham Crackers
Orson Scott Card
Apr. 1, 2002
Columnist “Uncle Orson” gives an off-the-cuff review of six brands of bottled water. His favorite is Panna water from the Italian San Pellegrino company. This is far from a scientific review -- it's just one person's commentary.
14. RateItAll.com
http://www.rateitall.com/t-2196-bottled-water.aspx
Bottled Water
Contributors to RateItAll.com
There are a couple dozen user reviews here for water. Most reviews are short, and some are inflammatory. Overall, there are not enough reviews and not enough high-quality reviews to be useful.
15. FineWaters.com
http://www.finewaters.com/Bottled_Water
Bottled Water
Editors of FineWaters.com
This site has lots of news and information about bottled water and the bottled water industry, but no reviews. There's a helpful breakdown of the different types of bottled water (as determined by editors): bold, classic, light, effervescent and still.
GENERAL REFERENCES (in no particular order)
1. UNESCO
Facts & Figures: Bottled Water
2003
This dated article provides basic information about bottled water varieties and how they are distinguished from each other – for example, what makes natural mineral water different from spring water, etc. Bottled water consumption demographics and bottled water standards/regulations are also provided, and water regulations and testing are discussed.
2. Water is Life (Class project of Geography students at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz/KLESSILL/
Bottled Water Industry
Lance Klessig
May 2004
Lance Klessig focuses on the bottled water industry around the world, and how public attitudes toward bottled water have changed over the course of the past decade. Areas covered include global distribution, marketing strategies of bottled water, global public acceptance of bottled water, and possible health benefits/drawbacks of bottled water.
3. BBC News
Coke recalls controversial water
BBC editors
Mar. 19, 2004
This article reports on a U.K. recall of about 500,000 bottles of Dasani water after researchers found higher that acceptable levels of bromate in samples. Bromate, according to the U.K.'s Food Standards Agency, is "a chemical that could cause an increased cancer risk as a result of long-term exposure." Coca-Cola says the excess bromate levels were a result of its manufacturing process. Coca-Cola quickly pulled affected bottles from shelves.
Aquafina Changes Water Source To New State
Staff writer
Jan. 16, 2007
This short article reports that Pepsico is moving production of its Aquafina water to a new plant in Illinois. With the new plant debuts a new filtration process that representatives say "consistently removes substances most other bottled waters leave in," according to Cary Johnston. The new plant should begin shipping Aquafina water starting March 1.
The Politics of Bottled Water
Kate Hopkins
Apr. 2005
Kat Hopkins poses the question: How can we as a culture commodify something that is a necessity of life? Issues about pollution are also raised.
Product Report: Bottled Water
Andreea Matei
May 30, 2003
This article summarizes the findings of the 1999 report from the Natural Resources Defense Council on bottled-water testing and regulations. The author also discusses environmental issues, suggesting that consumers buy water packaged in glass since plastic production has a much larger environmental impact. Buying locally produced water is also recommended, since there's less energy waste in transportation.
7. Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/bwinx.asp
Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype?
Mar. 1999
This is the online version of the often-quoted study criticizing FDA regulation of bottled water. Also included is information on chemical analysis of 190 bottled waters. Researchers found that nearly one quarter of test samples violated some state's standards for drinking water, and that consumers should not assume that bottled water is likely to be healthier than tap water. It's also said that bottled water generally appears to be safe.
8. International Bottled Water Association
This is one of the trade organizations for the bottled-water industry. It includes information about recycling and assurances about the quality of bottled water.
9. FDA
Bottled Water: Better Than the Tap?
Anne Christiansen Bullers
July/Aug. 2002
This article describes some of the regulations behind bottled water and how they compare to the regulations for drinking water.
10. Consumer Reports
What's in that bottle?
Jan. 2003
This article is part of a larger report on safe drinking water. Editors cite an earlier 2000 Consumer Reports test of bottled water, which found very few problems. While its true that bottled water isn't required to undergo testing for Trihalomethanes, Cryptosporidium, asbestos or Giardia, the FDA counters that those contaminants are unlikely to have made their way into drinking water sources in the first place.
11. The Today Show
Is your bottled water coming from a faucet?
Phil Lempert
July 21, 2004
This article doesn’t taste test bottled water. Rather, it goes over the types and sources of bottled water.
Spin the (water) bottle
David Lazarus
Jan. 17, 2007
This is a recent background article on the bottled water industry, including statistics on sales and marketing.
13. Healthfacts
Consumer Reports looks at bottled water
Maryann Napoli
Aug. 2000
This article summarizes results of Consumer Reports 2000 test of 39 bottled waters, which is no longer available on the Consumer Reports website. In the article, bottled water in PET containers didn't have a plastic-y taste, which those packaged in HDPE often did. Volvic Natural Spring Water was judged best tasting. Arrowhead and Prestige Premium (K-Mart) were also recommended at the time.
Bottled Water’s Bottom Line
Lisa McDivitt
Feb. 2007
Like many other articles, Lisa McDivitt asserts that the appeal of bottled water is largely aesthetic. Bottled water is not necessarily safer than tap water, and its production contributes to landfill waste.
15. U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Bottled Water Regulation and the FDA
Lauren M. Posnick, Sc.D. and Henry Kim, Ph.D.
Sept. 2002
This article, reprinted from Food Safety Magazine (a food-industry trade magazine) discusses Federal guidelines for the labeling of bottled water including a listing of regulatory statutes. The article also includes a list of five types of bottled water, as defined and regulated by the FDA.
Bottled Drinking Water
Oct. 2000
This article discusses the intergovernmental body for the development of internationally recognized standards for bottled water. These standards are contained within the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). Bacterial content of water is discussed along with a general assessment of the health risks of consuming bottled water.