Senator Lautenberg Introduces Bill To Keep Consumers Informed About Bottled Water

Main Category: Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 09 Dec 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today introduced legislation to provide consumers critical information about the origin and quality of the bottled water they are drinking - and the impact that producing and disposing these bottles has on our environment. Sen. Lautenberg introduced his bill during a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on drinking water oversight.

"Americans deserve to know what's in their water. Bottled water has become such a big part of our culture that the public has a right to know where it comes from and how it is treated," Sen. Lautenberg said. "This bill would make sure they get that information. "As long as water is sold in bottles, we must make sure the truth about that water is not bottled along with it."

Sen. Lautenberg's bill, the Bottled Water Safety and Right-to-Know Act, would require bottled water manufacturers to display the quality and source of the water and type of treatment that the water has undergone on the bottles they sell. The bill would also require that manufacturers submit information about their bottled water's origins and quality to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and that such information be accessible to the public.

In 2007, Americans spent more than $11 billion on bottled water, up from $8 billion in 2005. Today, more than half of all Americans consume bottled water and Americans have come to rely on it during emergencies.

While some bottlers may use additional treatment to clean the water, almost 40 percent of bottled water comes from municipal water sources. Manufacturing bottled water also contributes to lasting environmental costs. Some 2.7 million tons of plastic are used each year to produce the nation's water bottles and the majority of this ends up in landfills.

Lautenberg is a leader in working to keep water safe and clean for consumers. His work includes funding our nation's water infrastructure and championing efforts to let people know what chemicals are in their communities' water supply.

The text of Lautenberg's opening statement follows:

"Madame Chairman, Clean, safe water is critical to our society. It is essential for our health - and the health and well-being of our children. That's why it is incumbent upon us to ensure that America's water supply is safe.

When Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, gained the authority to regulate the chemicals in our drinking water. But even with that authority, there is still troubling evidence that chemicals and other substances are polluting the nation's water supply. Right now, there are more than 140 chemicals in our drinking water that the EPA does not regulate, according to one recent study.

In some parts of the country, these chemicals include gasoline additives, pesticides - and even rocket fuel. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that you should not be drinking rocket fuel. In other parts of the country, these chemicals include additives used to produce natural gas.

The concentration of chemicals in some places is so high that you can literally light the water on fire. These chemicals have proven negative effects on people's health - indeed, some can cause cancer, according to the EPA.

But even so, in the past the EPA has ignored three mandatory Safe Drinking Water Act deadlines to set standards for unregulated contaminants. And nearly 20 percent of the contaminants that EPA is currently considering for regulation have been under study at the agency for 17 years. Some people have turned to bottled water, thinking it is a safer alternative. Bottled water is healthier than sugary, high calorie drinks. And it can be a crucial part of our safety net during natural disasters and emergencies.

But bottled water might provide a false sense of security - and an expensive one, too. Americans spend more than $8 billion dollars a year on bottled water. But what many people don't know is that up to 40 percent of bottled water simply comes from the tap. That is why I am introducing the 'Bottled Water Safety and Right to Know Act' today.

This bill will provide consumers information about where their bottled water comes from and the quality of the water that they are drinking. Beyond this new commitment to overseeing our bottled water, we need a renewed commitment to protecting our tap water.

First, we need to enforce the laws on the books. And second, we need to increase funding for our crumbling water infrastructure, including our wastewater and drinking water treatment facilities.

The EPA estimates that there is a $271 billion gap between what our wastewater treatment plants need, and what they receive. We need to close that gap. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about their plans for meeting these challenges."

Source
The Office of Senator Lautenberg

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