Quality and Environmental Impacts of Bottled Water[hearing. Wednesday, September 10, 2008]
[Statement of Frank R. Lautenberg, Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on Transportation Safety,Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality]
"... The need for safe, clean bottled water is magnified during an emergency—such as Hurricane Gustav which just passed through the Gulf Coast—when people are evacuated from their homes, or in their homes but without basic utilities.

And it is certainly healthier to purchase water from a vending machine rather than soda.But what many Americans do not know is that almost 40 percent of bottled water on the market is actually just tap water.

Some bottlers use additional treatments to clean it; with others, it's merely tap water in a fancy bottle. In addition, water bottles thrown in the trash have a lasting effect on our environment and the country's continuing energy crisis.

Americans use 2.7 million tons of plastic each year for water bottles. The amount of oil it takes to produce those water bottles would power more than one million cars and trucks for one year..."