BrianGarst.com

A CNN headline breathlessly asks, “Is your bottled water safe?”  One could be forgiven for thinking such a leading headline might be followed with actual evidence that bottled water is unsafe.  Though, as this is CNN, one should also know better:

Although you may think that bottled water is a safer option than tap, two new reports show that the store-bought stuff is actually less regulated than the water you get out of your faucet for free.

The implication here is that being less regulated than tap water means that bottled water is automatically to be considered less safe.  This is preposterous. More government regulation of bottled water is a solution looking for a problem.  There is no factual evidence of increased risk from drinking bottled water.

The other complaint being lodged is that bottle water products don’t provide enough information about their filter process and contents.  Some are accused of offering what is essentially bottled tap water.

This complaint may be valid, but it is not cause for government intervention or increased regulation.  If a consumer is faced with purchasing a product which they think comes with insufficient information regarding its contents, then they shouldn’t purchase the product.  If enough people are upset that bottled water companies don’t provide such labels, and resolve only to purchase from ones that do, then there will inevitably be enterprising companies willing to meet that demand.  And without the force of government, no less!   It’s almost like magic.