Inspection reports from the Canadian bottled water industry reveal consumers have made some very interesting complaints in recent years. Some of these complaints included foul smells, off tastes, and contaminants. Shockingly, the national news agency, that reported on the findings, found none of the complaints triggered mandatory product recalls. This has worried some consumers who are now questioning the safety of bottled water.
Foul odors were one of the common complaints in the inspection reports from 2014 to 2018, which were released to the news agency. Some consumers lodged complaints after finding their bottled water smelled of urine or feces. Others voiced complaints after detecting the smell of old socks, garbage, or mold coming from the water. Not all of the complaints were due to bad smells, however. Some Canadian consumers reported bottled water companies to the country's government inspection agency after noticing unsavory tastes in the product.
Some bottled water that reached consumers contained contaminants. Plastic from the caps used to seal the bottles was found in one Canadian company's products. Another company sold water containing high levels of coliform bacteria. After consumers complained their water reeked of rotten eggs, testing later confirmed the bottled water contains a large amount of Sulphur.
The issues reported by Canadian consumers had a wide range of causes. In some instances, the source of the nasty smells was traced to machines that weren't working properly during the processing. The mold consumers complained about came from contaminants on the outside of the bottles. In another incident, a smell of feces was found to originate from an air tank in the facility's air filtering system. In some cases, the foul tastes and smells remain a mystery.
Perhaps the most disturbing complaint involved a bottled water facility the inspection agency found to be unclean. The news agency revealed the company was reportedly dumping water next to an amusement park. The facility had no safety testing area, bathroom, or hand washing station.
Despite the horrific thoughts these complaints inspire, the bottled water companies and the government inspection agency CFIA assure consumers the product on the shelves is safe. Corrective actions were taken in most instances, and all complaints were thoroughly investigated. The water bottling companies replaced machines or found an alternative source of water when necessary. Some companies also issued voluntary recalls. So, where does this leave consumers?
While consumers must rely on bottled water companies and government inspectors to maintain the quality of water sold in stores, it isn't the only option. Both bottled and tap water have the same risks and are of similar quality. In fact, much of the water sold in stores today comes from municipal sources rather than some mystical mountain spring. This has led more consumers to opt for home water filtration systems of varying sizes.
Whole home water filtration systems are one option. They have a range of options and prices, but it means homeowners can feel confident about the quality of the water they're drinking every time they turn on the tap. Other homeowners have opted for water pitchers and bottles with replaceable filters in them. These water filtration systems aren't as thorough as larger in-home systems, but they do a good job of eliminating the larger contaminants.
While inspection agencies and the bottled water industry do what they can to make water safe, consumers may not want to rely on this. Home water filtration systems put the responsibility of water quality in the hands of homeowners. They know where the water comes from, and that the system has been properly maintained. For some consumers, this reassurance is worth the cost.
At Friendly Water, we offer a wide range of quality drinking water solutions: simple water filters, scale reduction drinkign water filters and RO drinking water filter systems for your home and business, or something as simple as a drinking water tap in your kitchen.
Contact us today for an independent water treatment advice from our specialists.
Reference:
Arsenault, C. (2019, March 03). Some big brands accused of selling stinky bottled water, but CFIA says it poses no health risk | CBC News.
