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by Anonymous on January 12th, 2005

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Does bottled water go bad? If so, how much harm can it do?

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  • by Thommy on January 13th, 2005

    Thommy

    I think it could depend upon a variety of factors as far as when or if bottled water goes bad.

    Generally speaking as a rule of thumb, a lot of bottled water is said to have a shelf life of two years...if unopened or the container is intact.

    Standards for bottled water are often less than for tap water. It is actually amazing to see comparisons of how water is bottled and from what source and who actually bottles it from where. There can be many different contaminants in bottled water. Bottled water can contain bacteria inhibitors (e.g.chlorine) directly or indirectly. However, many bottled water companies who derive their water from municiple sources filter out some of the chemicals produced from the chlorine or treat the water. Companies usually don't chlorinate spring waters. The standard for chlorine's trihalomethane, (a toxic chemical produced when chlorination chemicals combine with organic matter in water supplies), is the same for tap water and for bottled water. Some people suggest shaking a bottle of water to help oxygenate the water if it has been sitting for awhile.

    Probably, one of the least popularized pollutants to bottled water is the leaching of plastic phthalates (endorcrine disruptors). This can cause a person to feel anxious and mis-emotional, and is often diagnosed incorrectly by doctors leading to a need for Prozac or even the barbaric shock treatment. [Ha! No wonder the Number 2 chemical company (Dow) entered into cooperative arrangements with Eli Lilly (maker of Prozac and other harmful psych drugs).] According to one report, eight of ten polycarbonate jugs leached a potentially problematic plastic component into water.

    The truth is that city water is much more regulated and monitored for quality than bottled water. Bottled water can legally contain many things which we would not tolerate in municipal drinking water.

    Comments

    • Very informative

      karma police

      by karma police on January 15th, 2005

    • Part marks. The effects leached plastics is inaccurate and shock treatment is rarely used today.

      RedJohn

      by RedJohn on January 12th, 2006

    • "Thommy"'s ignorance is as apparent as his political agendas.

      The fact is that water can be stored for years if the integrity of the original package is maintained, and it is stored in a cool, dry, place. Almost nobody will ever see hydroxic acid in it's pure form. All water you will ever encounter will have impurities, meaning anything that isn't hydrogen and oxygen. Certain trace chemicals can cause reactions with others when left in sunlight and/or heat. Heat and/or light is required for most chemical reactions, that is basic organic chemistry. On the whole, bottled water will keep for quite a long time.


      So far as the off-topic rant about bottled vs. tap water is concerned, it's mostly nonsense. Tap water is fine, even better than bottled water, if you live in a municipality like New York City, or LA. Their tap water is some of the cleanest, and best, water in the world. If, however, you live in a place like Houston, or one of it's suburbs (like me), or some rural areas, you would be familiar with the regular warnings not to drink the water due to sewage contamination. I have lived in a Houston suburb called Katy for over eighteen years, and we get these kinds of notices about once a year. That's if there is no contamination due to hurricanes or other extreme weather conditions that can upset our antiquated water treatment facilities.

      There also have been zero, and I mean zero, conclusive studies to show that chemicals leech out of the plastic, or are in any concentration, to remotely harm even the the most vulnerable of people. The individuals who make these claims have an agenda that is anti-capitalist, and don't believe in people making a profit off of anything, unless it's a profit they agree with. Their opinion is fine and debatable, but they are adamant that you share in their belief because they think the more people believe in a thing, the more true it is. The irony here is that these are usually the same kinds of people who ridicule that kind of behaviour in others when it comes to conflicting belief systems. Case in point would be extreme leftists criticising the faith-based actions of the extreme right.

      I am sorry for getting off-topic with your question, but I felt the need to address the nonsense in the afore-mentioned poster's reply. A reply that was, its self, off-topic. In the end, crack open a bottle of your water and give it a sniff. If it smells fine, odds are it's safe. If you are still in doubt, go ahead and boil it, then let it cool, before you drink it.

      Dan_C6241

      by Dan_C6241 on October 29th, 2010

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