News Published on 28 May, 2009
FDA pushes for more stringent water testing
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is pushing more stringent testing standards for the bottled water industry in the US, saying companies will have to eliminate any causes of faecal contamination in water sources before they can bottle the water for sale.
The FDA’s new rules also require manufacturers to test source water for any forms of coliform (a group of bacteria that are mostly harmless), according to a copy of the rules scheduled to be posted in the Federal Register on Friday.
If coliform is found, manufacturers must also test for faecal contamination. Water that goes into bottles is already tested for coliform and faecal contamination, but the water source itself wasn’t previously required to be tested.
The new rules were proposed two years ago, and bring the FDA’s standards in line with that of the Environmental Protection Agency, which has federal oversight of tap water. The rules will go into effect on 1 December 2009.
The FDA notes that 70-75% of bottled water comes from the ground, or the same places where people receive tap water. The new rule also says bottled water producers must keep records of source water testing.
Source: Dow Jones