Bottled water not always purer than tap

Bottled water contains contaminates, other impurities, often found in tap water a new report by an environmental advocacy group says. The Environmental Working Group found that ten major brands contained 38 pollutants, with an average of eight per brand.

Though none of the levels were above the standards set by the federal government, two brands had levels exceeding California state limits.

“In some cases, it appears bottled water is no less polluted than tap water and, at 1,900 times the cost, consumers should expect better,” Jane Houlihan, an environmental engineer who co-authored the study, told the Associated Press.

Industry leaders called the report “alarmist,” saying that contaminate levels below federal guidelines are not a health risk.