Revealing research: What water we drink in Greece (TA NEA)

An important and very useful study on the quality of water we consume in Greece was conducted by the Panhellenic Centre for Ecological Research. "How many of us know what we drink? And how many of us can understand what is written on the label of a bottled water, and whether we have made the best choice of water?", says the introduction of the study, as the authors attempt to provide full information on this issue and, above all, advice on what consumers need to know in order to protect themselves.

PACOE scientists also carried out sampling and microbiological analyses of the most popular bottled waters on the market and present their findings.

Among the findings of the study on water quality, the following are mentioned:

-There is no legislation specifying what should be on the label.

-The physical and chemical characteristics are not mentioned.

-The average of the previous year's sample measurements is not reported, but three and five years ago.

-Waters with anonymous labels are circulating on islands and outside Attica.

-The storage rooms are not kept below 18° C. They are stored at ambient temperatures of 30° and 38° C.

-In many supermarkets, storage areas are close to refrigerators and refrigeration machines, resulting in water heating up.
The survey details:

They are undoubtedly indispensable in summer: a bottle of water and a bottle of wine bottled water in hand, whether we're walking the hot city streets or sunning ourselves on the beach.
Bottled water consumption is gaining more and more followers in our country, although we are still far below the average for the rest of Europe.
It is estimated that the average European consumes 80-100 litres of bottled water per year, while the champion Italians consume 150 litres.
But how many of us know the quality of the water we drink? And how many of us can understand what is written on the label of a bottled water, and whether we have made the best choice of water?
All waters are not equal
First of all, we have to read on the label the type of bottled water that we drink, since not everything is the same. We're not just talking about the quality of the water that makes them stand out. There are three categories recognised by the European Union: table water, natural mineral water and spring water. The label may not mention any other water characterisation (e.g. therapeutic, thermal, natural water, mineral water or natural mineral spring water).
But what are the characteristics of the water in the above three categories?
Table water
According to the legislation, table water can be of any origin (e.g. from a borehole, a lake, a river, even desalinated sea water).
Table water may be subjected to any disinfection process deemed necessary in order for its composition to comply with the Community Directive (98/83) on drinking water). In practice, the composition of table water and tap water is the same. In simple terms, they have the same qualitative characteristics, except that table water is bottled water and tap water is running water.
Natural mineral water
Natural mineral water is exclusively of underground origin and is bottled on site at its source (usually a borehole). The Community Directives prohibit any treatment or disinfection of natural mineral water, unlike table water. The underground origin of natural mineral water, as well as the prohibition of any activity within a sufficient distance from the borehole (the distance depends on the type of rock in the area), ensures that it is protected from any microbial load.

Spring water

To understand what "spring water" means, we need to... take the image of a spring out of our minds and think of it as an intermediate category between table water and natural mineral water. Spring water is similar to natural mineral water in that it is definitely of underground origin, has a stable composition, does not undergo any disinfection process and is always bottled at its source. However, it differs from natural mineral water in that its physico-chemical parameters (its composition) do not follow those of natural mineral water but those of table water, i.e. ordinary drinking water.

Carbonated water
Carbonated water contains carbon dioxide of either natural or technical origin. Carbonated water may also be mineral or table water.
On the back of a bottled water label is the physical and chemical analysis of the water, which depends on the rocks through which the water passes and which enrich it with organic and inorganic components.
If it is table water, then the analysis will be the average of four seasons' analyses, since its physico-chemical composition is affected by various climatic factors (e.g. rainfall, which changes the water level). If it is natural mineral water, then the analysis will be of a specific date, which is indicated on the label.

How clean is the water?

In practice, water quality also depends on the concentration of nitrates, among other things. The lower the nitrate concentration, the less pollutants the water carries, while the value above which the concentration of nitrate poses a threat to health is 50 mg/l. However, most water on the market (natural mineral and table water) has a nitrate concentration of less than 5 mg/l. Furthermore, the maximum permitted limit for nitrite in natural mineral waters is 0.1 mg/l, while in table waters it is 0.50 mg/l. As for ammonium, the maximum permitted value is 0.50 mg/l, in accordance with Community Directive 98/83. Characteristics of bottled water
In general, the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of waters are examined. The analytical methods used to test these characteristics should be approved by the competent authorities of the country where the water is used.

Physico-chemical characteristics - Physical characteristics

The main physical characteristics for which water quality is tested are: Appearance, colour, odour, taste, temperature and puritytransparency. Colour and transparency-purity can be measured with special instruments. The determination of appearance, odour and taste depend on human sensory perception and judgement. The standard methods do not include the test for appearance, whereas the approved methods examine odour and taste only from a qualitative point of view.
General methods include a qualitative description of the odour and a technique to obtain a limiting number for the odour. A similar test may be obtained for a taste threshold number.
In some cases all tests are very useful, when it is possible to have water in which the odour is more obvious than the taste, or vice versa, taste more pronounced than odour.
Chemical characteristics Main metallic characteristics.
Most natural waters contain basically four cations: Calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium, and four main anions: carbonate, chloride sulphate, nitrate and their salts. Electrical conductivity and pH are also indicated.

Organic and mineral ingredients

The main organic constituents identified are ammoniacal nitrogen (free ammonia), protein nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, chlorofluorocarbonate distillate, permanganic acid salt value and ammonium sulphate. All of these affect the quality of the water we consume.

Metals
In addition to the main cations present in water e.g. ca, Mg, Na and K, the following metals can also be found: Copper, Iron, Tin, and Magnesium. Also Aluminum is present in small amounts which are subject to the formation of aggregates in rare cases such as Aluminum Sulfate and Chromium.

Biological characteristics

The biological examination of water is interested in certain types of bacteria, fungi, single-celled organisms and yeasts, fungi and parasites as well as the formation of certain types of worms, insects and shellfish. In general, water from underground sources should be free from biological contamination, and where contamination occurs, there is extensive growth of capillary bacteria such as Leptothrix and Reggiatoa, clearly affecting water quality.
For routine testing, a direct search for the presence of a specific pathogenic bacterium is not practical. Water shall be tested for contamination by materials of human or animal origin. Attention should be paid to the species of bacteria, especially Escherichia coli (and other parts of the coliform group), clostridium welchii and sometimes streptococcus sediment.

Coliforms and microorganisms in water

At least one in ten bottled waters contains microorganisms that are dangerous to health, degrading the quality of the water we consume. The main reason for the problematic quality is the unacceptable storage conditions. In studies carried out by the Universities of Thrace and Patras, which were conducted in sections from 1995 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2008, and in which about 1 700 bottles of commercially available water were examined, pseudomonads, coliform bacteria and colonies of microorganisms that can cause infections in the urinary and respiratory systems, gastroenteritis and other health problems were identified.
Although the number of microorganisms in the original source of bottled water is usually low, studies have reported an increase in this number after handling and storage.
According to the current legislation on the microbiological quality of bottled water, the limits for the presence of e. coli, pyocyanin pseudomonas and enterococci are zero, while for colonies of microorganisms amount to 100 per millilitre at 22 degrees Celsius and 16.9% over 100 at 37 degrees Celsius, quantities that exceed the limits of Greek legislation on the microbiological quality of bottled water.
Regarding the results of the eight-year survey, the presence of e. coli and enterococci found in the samples is associated with faecal pollution, while Favobacterium is an indication that the water contains soil. In order to maintain the quality of bottled water at the desired levels, it should be stored in a dark and cool place with a temperature below 18 degrees Celsius. 4 for the Environment

Harmful substances detected in water

Pesticides and plant protection products, polycyclic hydrocarbons, toxic metals, dissolved organic carbon, phosphoric nitrate, chloride and ammoniacal ions, total chromium, copper. Hazards from plastic
For the most part, bottled water is stored in plastic bottles polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET is manufactured from fossil fuels (gas and oil). Research has shown that the chemicals in PET are permeable to water. The University of Heidelberg found that the longer the water stays in the bottle, the higher the content of unhealthy chemicals in the water. Certain compounds of antimony, because they are used as catalysts in the production of plastics for use in packaging water, soft drinks and juice (PET), may be sources of exposure to antimony.
Ingredients and maximum limits
Substances naturally present in natural mineral waters and maximum permissible levels (mg/l) above which there may be a risk to public health (Directive 80/777/EEC): Antimony 0,0050, Arsenic 0,010 (total), Barium 1,0, Boron not specified, Cadmium 0,003, Chromium 0,050, Copper 1,0, Cyanides 0,070, Fluoride 5,0, Lead 0,010, Manganese 0,50, Mercury 0,0010, Nickel 0,020, Nitrate 50, Nitrite 0,1, Selenium 0,010.

What consumers need to know about water quality - how to protect themselves!

The consumer society that we live in has imposed the establishment of largely controlled information aimed at its excessive and uncontrolled enrichment and has led to the creation of a new generation that walks around with a plastic bottle in its hand from morning till night. In addition, in the heart of summer one walks through the streets of the city, the concrete is boiling and, exhausted, one buys a bottle of water for 50 euro cents to temporarily quench one's thirst. The canteen or "thermos" of tap water that he used to take with him once upon a time to the beach has been replaced forever with the plastic bottle, while even in the cheap neighbourhood tavern where he goes once a month the traditional glass jug has now been replaced with the plastic bottle of bottled water, which the company that sells it has even made sure that it is attractive to the eye (light blue, light green or even deep blue colour, but also carefully shaped) so that it gives the illusion of luxury! Do we really know what water we are actually drinking? Can we "decipher" what is on the label of the bottled water we buy? What water did we buy and give to our thirsty child?
On the back of a bottled water label is the physical and chemical analysis of the water, which depends on the rocks through which it has passed and which enrich it with organic and inorganic components. In the case of table water, the analysis is the average of four seasons' analyses, given that its physico-chemical composition is influenced by various climatic factors (e.g. rainfall that changes the water level). In the case of natural mineral water, the analysis will be of a specific date, which is indicated on the label.

What to look out for when buying bottled water

Bottled water must bear the following information on its packaging: - The name under which the product is sold.
- Name of the water source. - Place of exploitation of the spring.
- Chemical analysis of the composition.
- Any operations which may be carried out during the bottling process.
- Quantity of content (volume).
- Date of minimum availability (day/month/year).
- Production batch.
- Conditions of maintenance and use of the product.
- Name or trade name of the manufacturer. The labelling of natural mineral waters or spring waters shall include the following mandatory particulars:
1. The reference of the analytical composition with a list of the characteristic elements.
2. The place where the spring is exploited and its name.
3.The indication of possible treatments. The separation of iron, manganese and sulphur compounds and arsenic from certain natural mineral waters by treatment with ozone-enriched air, provided that such treatment does not have the effect of modifying the composition of such water as regards the natural constituents to which it owes its properties. A name of a settlement or a place may be included in the text of the trade name provided that the natural mineral water comes from a spring situated in the settlement or place.
Although laws require bottling companies to specify where they have sourced the water, almost none do so.
The 2011 Environmental Working Group's work found that of the world's top 9 bottling companies, only one (Nestle's Pure Life Purified Water) described the exact geographic location from which it sources its water and the exact treatment process.
Indications that must not be written on the packaging:
- Those that attribute healing properties to water.
- Phrases related to the effect of water on the functions of the human body, such as "aids digestion" or "suitable for diet".
- Expressions that imply a characteristic that does not exist, with the aim of misleading the consumer.
- Those that attribute healing properties to water. Phrases describing the effect of water on the functioning processes of the human body, for example "enhances digestion", "suitable for slimming".

What to do to check water quality- Do not share the bottle with another person. It is better to fill two glasses with bottled water than to drink directly from the bottle. - Do not fill the bottle with tap water when you have consumed all the contents, as bacteria may have developed. It is better to buy a new bottle of bottled water.
- If you cannot put the bottle in the fridge, place it in a cool place away from sunlight and any source of contamination. If you have bottles in a storage area, when opening them, wipe the rim thoroughly and then consume the contents.
- Do not buy bottles that are not sealed and examine them thoroughly, inside and out. Check whether the shape is altered or small objects are floating. Report to the health authorities in your area anything unusual you notice in the packaging and the contents.
- Don't get carried away by the labels and pay particular attention to the bottling and expiry date, chemical analysis, the company's contact number, the location of the water's origin and the type of water.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN INGREDIENTS OF NATURAL MINERAL WATER THAT SHOULD BE WRITTEN ON THE LABEL - WHAT THEY OFFER TO OUR BODY

Na+ Sodium: It is one of the most important electrolytes that contributes to the body's fluid balance and is involved in muscle contraction. However, excessive sodium consumption is associated with hypertension, for the regulation of which avoidance is recommended. Any natural mineral water with a sodium content of less than 10 mg/l may be labelled as 'suitable for a low-sodium diet'.
K+ Potassium: Essential for regulating cell hydration and maintaining fluid balance in our body. It also contributes to the transmission of nerve impulses (signals) between neurons, as well as to the contraction of muscles.
Ca++ Calcium: It is one of the most important minerals, as it is a key building block of bones and teeth. It is also involved in muscle function and in the transmission of signals between nerves. The calcium in water has good bioavailability (i.e. it is fully utilized by our body) and can contribute to the total daily calcium intake.
Mg++ Magnesium: Contributes to the proper functioning of muscles and nerves, while together with calcium they contribute to the better functioning of the heart. In high concentrations, magnesium has a laxative and diuretic effect.
HCO3- Dicarboxylic acid: Helps maintain the acidity of the digestive system and facilitates digestion.
SO4- Sulphate ions: These are components of cell membranes, as well as many of our body's enzymes.
Fe++ Iron: Found mainly in waters that pass through rocks rich in iron salts. Iron is a component of red blood cells, responsible for transporting oxygen to tissues. Adequate intake of iron contributes to the prevention of iron deficiency anaemia.
Sio2- Silicon dioxide: Contributes to the elasticity of arterial walls.
BOTTLED WATER MUST BE LABELLED
- Sales name of the product.
- Name of the water source.
- Place of exploitation of the source.
- Chemical analysis of the composition.
- Any operations which may be carried out during the bottling process.
- Quantity of content (volume).
- Date of minimum availability (day/month/year).
- Production batch.
- Conditions of maintenance and use of the product.
- Name or trade name of the manufacturer.

SAMPLING, RESULTS AND CONSIDERATIONS
PACOE is opposed to the misuse of plastic bottles for bottling water. You should be aware that recent research conducted by the EU has found that a dangerous chemical element called antimony resides inside the plastic bottle. PACOE recently carried out sampling and analyses in May, the results of which are shown in the table below. In all the samples taken, the date of analysis indicated was far from the expiry date of the water. No coliforms were detected in any of the samples, so the bottled water tested is microbiologically safe.

Professor of Environmental Chemistry and Director of the Pollution Control Research Group of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Mr: "Water pollution is not only caused by humans but also comes from rocks. We see nitrates along river beds, near lakes and in agricultural land".

BOTTLED WATER A FICTITIOUS NECESSITY

In a world where consumerism and extravagance reign, it is perfectly natural to create fictitious needs. The most common one is the well-known and unexceptional bottled water! According to 2004 statistics, 154 million litres of bottled water are consumed annually worldwide. By today's standards, the previous number would be quite high, but we'll stay there to discuss a few simple things that concern us all. Do you know how much tap water costs? Bottled water? 1€ per 1 litre ! That is 1700 times more expensive! The most absurd thing is that most of this water is consumed in areas where the quality of tap water is excellent, as it is crystal clear, potable, tested and healthier!
Third world countries or those without access to clean drinking water do not consume bottled water... Do you see an absurdity here? Bottled water, apart from being "canned", no one knows whether the person selling it has left it in the sun for ten days, which is the worst thing for water quality. The picture is familiar. Boxes of bottled water covered with tarpaulins and exposed to the high summer temperatures for two or three days, until they are put in the fridge, where we will buy them to cool ourselves. The problem is that exposing bottled water to such high temperatures can increase its microbial load, so eventually the water we drink changes from, say, calciferous to "microbial". Until such time as systematic checks are carried out on the storage conditions of bottled water at distribution and sales points, therefore, all we can do as consumers is to be careful where we buy water. Moreover, it is also anti-environmental...Every time we open a bottle of water we should also think about the following... - Every bottle of water uses oil to make (the plastic part of it). How much? Consider that America alone consumes 26,000,000,000 liters of bottled water.
This takes 17 million litres of oil to pack. To transport the bottle to the final consumer (via ships, trucks, etc.) it again consumes oil. When the final consumer drinks his or her water, the bottle most often ends up in the trash rather than in recycling. If not thrown in the trash, it will be dumped (by the unscrupulous) into the environment, polluting it for at least over 300-400 years (that's how long it takes to melt a water bottle). If it goes in the garbage and gets buried in a landfill, figure at least 1000 years for it to melt. In the trash if it is incinerated, then the material it is made of (PET) releases chlorine gas and heavy metals which are highly toxic. If it ends up in recycling, in many countries it is not recycled there, but taken to other countries to be broken down (extra oil for transport). Water is necessary for us to live. But it doesn't have to be bottled. Bottled water is not a necessity. It is unnecessary. It is a necessity when you are in an area where there is no running water or drinking water. In any other case it is a waste.

END OF PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES IN THE US AND EUROPE

The sale of plastic water bottles with a capacity of less than one litre has been banned by the municipal authority of Concord, Massachusetts. The law went into effect on the first day of 2013 after a three-year campaign to reduce plastic waste while encouraging the use of potable water from the water supply. Offenders risk a fine of €20 and if caught again the fine is doubled. "For this campaign" I was inspired by my grandson, who told me about an island of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean", says Jean Hill, who led the initiative, concluding that "We need to get people to move away from the logic of buying bottled water and think about all the other alternatives". A similar ban measure has been in place in the Australian city of Boundunnen since 2009, while more than 90 American universities have banned the consumption of bottled water on their campuses.
In many of these universities, the movement for free tap water is so strong that all students and staff are provided with stainless steel bottles, which they can fill as many times as they like from the taps. A year ago, the agency that manages the Grand Canyon National Park, one of the most important attractions in the US, moved to ban the sale of bottled water within the park, as the empty plastic bottles that visitors discarded after use posed a risk to the environmental balance. The plastic bottles of the 4.5 million tourists who visit the Grand Canyon each year make up 20% of the park's waste. According to research, Americans consume 50 billion small plastic water bottles annually.

TAP WATER IN CALIFORNIA RESTAURANTS

New York City has entered the battlefield with an operation by the authorities to convince citizens that on the one hand the tap water is perfectly safe for their health. On the other hand, in addition to assuring us of the quality, they are informing us that plastic bottles of bottled water irreversibly pollute the environment. The American metropolis took over from Salt Lake City, while in California many restaurants already serve tap water to their customers. The campaign has crossed the Atlantic to many European cities, starting with Rome, where after 250,000 sample tests of the water system, the authorities have officially assured residents that the city's water is good, fresh and 100 to 1,000 times cheaper than bottled water. The battle, at least for now, seems unequal as more and more consumers, especially those following the healthy eating model, prefer bottled water. Experts point out, however, that this trend is destructive to the environment. Consumers mistakenly believe that spring water is very clean and are unaware that water close to the ground often concentrates pollutants that are rarely found in municipal reservoirs.

MYTH THAT BOTTLED WATER IN GREECE IS TASTIER THAN TAP WATER

As for those who believe that bottled water is "tastier" and that tap water "smells", a simple experiment proves that this is probably just an illusion. The experiment was initiated by the Italian environmental organisation Legabiente, which asked people in six different cities to distinguish between tap water and bottled water by drinking from bottles. The sample showed that not even two out of ten people could tell the difference. Australia's example Australia, the first country in the world, seems to have succeeded, at least to some extent, in doing what other cities are still trying to do: banning the sale of bottled water because of the pollution that plastic bottles cause to the environment. The premier of the largest Australian state of New South Wales,Nathan Rees said he would phase out the use of bottled water in all government departments and agencies. This is a major step in the battle for water quality. Huge amounts of money are spent on the extraction, packaging and transportation of bottled water. It is not only the pollution caused to the environment by plastic bottles but also the energy consumed to manufacture them, added Nathan Rees.
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has declared himself a supporter of the measure and called on the other Australian states to adopt it. The measure was adopted by the town of Bundanoon in the state of New South Wales, which is the first city in the world to ban the use of bottled water. The town has a population of about 2500 and more than 350 people voted in a public meeting to ban bottled water. Only two residents who were at that meeting voted against the ban, one of whom works for a bottled water company. The reason for the ban in question was the announcement of plans by a company to bottle water in the area, in Sidney, and resell it in town.
Residents rose up fearing the great impact that plastic waste would have on the environment and banned the use of bottled water.
THE PAKOE'S FINDINGS
What PACOE's survey of several companies found, and that's why it classified the water (see table on page 5), is that:  There is no legislation specifying what should be on the label.  Physical and chemical characteristics are not mentioned, which affects the final water quality.  The average of sample measurements from the previous year is not stated, but from three and five years ago.  Water with anonymous labels is circulating on islands and outside Attica.  In the storage rooms the temperature is not kept below 18° C. They are stored at ambient temperatures of 30° and 38° C.  In many supermarkets the storage areas are close to refrigerators and refrigeration machines so that the water is heated.

WATER WHEN BOTTLED GETS OLD AND CREATES BACTERIA

 Its disposal prices are very high. 
The lack of continuous and rigorous controls puts the health of consumers and water quality at risk.  The plastic packaging that ends up in the environment creates many pollution hotspots. We have repeatedly communicated these findings to the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Development, and the companies, but "a voice crying in the wilderness". Three years ago the matter had reached the court of law where we went and submitted our investigation data, since then no response. So we say, and PACOE proclaims, that the long-term sustainable solution to ensure water quality and access to healthy water is not bottling and treating it, but protecting the 'veins of the earth' from pollution.

THE "REVENGE" OF WATER BECAUSE OF THE MEMORY AND THE CONSCIOUSNESS IT POSSESSES!

An initially unrealistic claim that over the centuries has been based on scientific data! Now see why one day this liquid element will avenge its decades of abuse by man! Scientists have concluded that every property of water is unique and cannot be fully explained by the laws of physics. For example, no scientific community has so far explained why water is the only element on the planet that is found in three forms: liquid, solid and gas. Also, a key question remains to this day why water has the highest surface tension of all liquid elements. The memory of water The unpredictable behaviour of water has been of interest to scientists since the 1950s and 1960s. Unable to explain a series of unpleasant incidents such as the deaths of scientists and secret agents after drinking water, they came up with a hypothesis that initially seemed unrealistic: water has a memory.
By some as yet unexplained mechanism, it manages to "store" information, much like a computer! In the following years, a series of experiments were carried out in various countries around the world which showed that water "accepts" and "stores" any external influence. It "retains" and "remembers" everything that happens in the space around it and everything that comes into contact with the water leaves its "mark" on it. The structure of water is influenced by our emotions Scientific studies have shown that water not only "remembers" but its structure is influenced by people's emotions. Water molecules take one position when they interact with positive emotions and another when they interact with negative ones. The structure of water is more important than its composition. Scientists have concluded that water molecules act like memory cells in which water records the entire history of its interaction with the outside world like a tape recorder. So imagine what this can mean for water quality.