Regulations aimed at ensuring Americans access clean water are not effective. In the U.S.A, regulations governing access to clean water are administered by two bodies; EPA and FDA. Bottled water is regulated by FDA. This is because bottled water is classified as food. The classification of bottled water as food does not make sense. Food is anything that is edible to human beings and has nutrients. In that context, bottled water may not qualify to be classified as food. Furthermore, the jurisdictions given to the FDA and the EPA are not complementary hence resulting in inefficient administration and regulation of drinking water as discussed in this paper.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations are substandard. Therefore, they provide a loophole for passing unsafe bottled water into the market consequently endangering human life. The administration should move fast to amend its’ rules and regulations on how bottled water should be treated and packed. Testing of water and the manner in which it is stored must also be inspected more frequently and stern measures taken against those who violate those rules. On the contrary, EPA is performing its regulatory role excellently. It has enacted strict rules and regulations to guide how tap water should be treated and the frequency of treatment. The administration also has the checking systems to identify defaulters. EPA is a more organized regulatory body than FDA when it comes to water treatment.
FDA is more culpable than EPA because of the laxity demonstrated in its agency rules and regulations. The FDA does not take full charge of its jurisdiction hence; defaulters can easily make unsafe bottled water and sell without any legal measures being taken. The FDA agency does not carry out frequent checks; for instance, bottled water makers are only required to test their products once a week. Furthermore, there are high chances of defaulting since the FDA does not follow up to ensure that these existing rules are observed. Most bottles do not undergo testing due to the FDA’s testing policy. For example, taps water systems test for chemical substances four times more often that bottled water companies. Bottled water companies under the watch of the FDA are under no obligation to provide consumers with detailed water sources and test results. Therefore, the FDA must is culpable for the manner in which it handles bottled water regulations. The EPA is leading by example. FDA should emulate EPA to ensure that Americans enjoy safe water from their taps and bottled water.
This paper has detailed below some recommendations to improve the safety of bottled water. First, bottled water can be shifted from the jurisdiction of the FDA to that of EPA. This will guarantee that bottled water companies abide by the strict rules of the EPA. Therefore, bottled water will be safe for human consumption. Secondly, FDA can amend its rules to make them stricter so that water is tested often and the plastic bottles inspected to ensure they are safe. Lastly, FDA should also introduce penalties for those bottled water companies that default standing rules. This will discourage defaulting among bottled water companies.
References
AllAboutWater.org. (2004). Standards and Regulations for Bottled Water. Retrieved 2013, from AllAboutWater: http://www.allaboutwater.org/regulations.html
AllAboutWater.org. (2004). The Truth about Bottled Water- Is it really better than tap water? Retrieved 2013, from All About Water: http://www.allaboutwater.org/bottled-water.html
International Bottled Water Association. (2013). FDA Bottled Water Regulations. Retrieved May 21, 2013, from International Bottled Water Association: http://www.bottledwater.org/education/regulations/fda-vs-epa
