The use of mineral water dates back to ancient times

In the past it was just as common to bathe in mineral springs as to drink the water

•The practice of immersing oneself in water from the hot mineral springs in the town of Bath in England gave the town its name

Hydrotherapy has gone in and out of fashion, but the drinking of mineral water seemed to become more popular when it was no longer necessary to travel to the water’s source to drink it.

The origin of bottled The origin of bottled water industry water industry comes from the comes from the thermal resorts thermal resorts

The bottling activity stemsThe bottling activity stemsfrom the custom of visitingfrom the custom of visitingspa towns and the wish ofspa towns and the wish ofvisitors to continue benefitingvisitors to continue benefitingat home from the properties ofat home from the properties ofmedicinal waters.medicinal waters.

The first mechanical corkingmachine was invented in 1840

..and bottling plants spread across Europe throughout the 19th century .

It was over the second half of the 20 th century that bottled water started to be widely distributed through grocery shops and to be served in cafes and restaurants as a drink .

Mineral water, source of life

• It is an indispensable element of our life

• It adds substances to our organism

Mineral water has been believedto possess therapeutic properties

There is a persistant belief in its near-magical properties

•Widespread groundwater pollution • a question of lifestyle• in developed countries regular inspections have proved that tap water is perfectly safe and sufficient for all one’s requirement

• in many developing countries where the standards of environmental hygiene are dubious is recommended boiling and filtering ordinary water

• bottled water does come in handy when you are on move or while travelling

• some people dislike the “flat” taste of ordinary water

Businessmen certainly have reason to be happy ! ! !

Why ?

The rise inpollution hasincreased thedemand for cleanwater !!!

This in turn has led to a boomingbusiness in mineral water.The numerous brands in themarket are evidence enough

•In the last 10 years the national mineral water production has grown from 6.100 million liters to 9.150 million liters, with annual value of almost two and half billion euros

• The average annual cost is about 300 euros for every Italian family

• Almost half Italian population prefers bottle water to tap water

• 266 different brands of mineral water are present in Italy

• As a paradox Italy is a country rich in springs, usually of high quality

• Bottled water means transportation problems

•The water is often carried long distances, involving huge consumption of fossil fuels

Transport

• 5 millions plastic bottles are used per year, which are not biodegradable and have almost unlimited life when disposed in the environment

•At the end of life plastic bottles are incenererated and become rensponsiblefor the emission in the atmosphere of toxic compounds

Pollution and waste problems

Waste problems

•There is an inevitable mountain of waste produce by all these empty disposable containers

…and the waste plastic is buriedin landfill sites

...moreover during their use plastic bottles do not ensure the hygienicsafety ensured by glass bottles,since they can loose unwanted compounds in water, particularlyif they are stocked in a warmplace or under the sunlight.

PET, the new kind of plastic used forbottling water, issafe even thoughit depends on the temperature under which bottles arekept.

• Most tap water is just as clean and safe as bottled water.

• The idea of bottled water being pure is a marketing myth.

• Compared to tap water , which is daily controlled, bottled water offers less warranties of official controls.

•The bottling companies do not have to test the water after bottling or storage.

• Bottled water costs hundred or thousands of times more than tap water.

The production of bottled water causes significant equity, public health and environmental problems:

• taking water from communities which depend on it.

• polluting the environment during the production of plastic

• contributing to global warming by transporting bottled water over great distances

•disposing of billions of empty bottles

But switching from bottled to tapwater also go along with the governments creating a clean watertrust fund to mantain and improve drinking water and sewage systems

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