When you think of natural spring water, what comes to mind? For many, it conjures images of pristine mountain streams and crystal-clear lakes, a source of pure and refreshing hydration. But as more and more bottled water brands hit the market, it’s crucial to ask: Is all natural spring water created equal? The answer might surprise you.
Water is the lifeblood of our planet and, as such, our most valuable resource. However, not all water is the same. Water in its most pure form is devoid of any chemicals, dissolved solids, biological components, or even minerals. After all, water is just the molecule H2O.
However, no matter how isolated it is from sources of contamination, water can’t exist naturally as H2O alone. The reason for this is that water is a universal solvent, and it easily dissolves a variety of materials. Some of these materials, such as naturally occurring minerals, are good additions, while others shouldn’t be consumed.
People are increasingly turning to natural spring water as a better option than tap water in their homes and businesses. Typically, they dispense bottled water from the “water jug” that is delivered directly to them using a free-standing water dispenser.
However, many will wonder—or ask us, specifically—whether there is another option for dispensing their delicious spring water. The good news is that the answer is, “Yes!”
A food safety and quality management system designed to address the requirements of retailers, suppliers and consumers is crucial. These kinds of entities—both national and international—have understandably high expectations and want independent verification of quality management systems and overall food safety.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires all water utilities to create and distribute annual drinking water quality reports. In this blog post, you will get an overview of this 2019 report distributed by the City of Boulder. According to bouldercolorado.gov, the goal of the City of Boulder 2019 Drinking Water Quality Report is to provide customers with safe and high-quality drinking water. The City of Boulder water supply comes from Barker Reservoir, North Boulder Creek, Boulder Reservoir and Carter Lake.
Since water is such a vital component of our lives, it's important to know exactly what we are drinking. Potential contaminants can include microorganisms, viruses, protozoa, bacteria, metals and organic compounds from industrial processes. The Environmental Protection Agency water quality standards show the limits on the amount of contaminants allowed in tap water by public water systems. Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration regulates commercial and bottled water.
When experts talk about water, they often speak about the clarity of the water. Clarity is the depth sunlight reaches (usually in the context of an ocean or a stream), and it is of great aesthetic interest. While tiny bubbles in tap water can cause the water to be hazy temporarily, turbidity is cloudiness or haziness caused by light-reflecting particles in the water. It is also the key test of water quality. The less turbidity water has, the more healthful it is. In fact, too much turbidity can lead to gastrointestinal diseases. As we’ve discussed before, “ultra-pure” water can actually be bad for you, but on the opposite end of the scale, too many particles in your water can also be hazardous to your health.
“New and Improved!” “Superfood!” “Holistic!” “All Natural!”. You’ve heard it all before, buzzword after buzzword—the over-used, cliché phrases that an online marketing agency might use in hopes of attracting you to their products, sounding like a broken record. Unfortunately, they work. Use an effective enough buzzword and the product will sell like hotcakes! This is seen frequently with other water companies as they tout how pure their water is. Luckily, we are here to arm you with information about the buzzword “ultra-pure”.
