something to think about..., not trying to sound too paranoid, but consider stocking up. I have. Even if nothing happens, it will be a good idea. Take care.
So are you asking what the shelf life of bottled water is (which I do not know) or just telling us it's not a bad idea to stock up on some?
FBI says U.S. water supplies are logical attack target it doesn't hurt to have a few 5 gallon water jugs around the house... i have a couple of containers that i will fill with tap water now, and have some bottled drinking water on hand also. rH
Not to sound morbid or anything, but I don't get why people are stocking up on food and water. If people are afraid of it being poisoned, what's the use of stocking up? It just means that you'll live a little bit longer then everybody else until your supplies run out.
found this at http://www.bottledwaterweb.com/qna.html Shelf Life of Bottled Water Q: How long is a bottle of water good if it remains sealed? A: In the United States bottled water's shelf life is date stamped for two years. It should be stored in a dark, cool, dry area away from any solvents or chemicals. I have tasted a bottle of Mountain Valley which was bottled several decades ago and the seal (in this case a metal cap) was still intact. The water was excellent, and except for some mineral crystals at the bottom on the glass, was identical to a fresh bottle of Mountain Valley. The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) further adds: The U.S. Food and Drug administration, which regulates the quality and safety of bottled water, has neither set nor suggested any limitation to the shelf life of bottled water. You may notice that most bottled water containers sold at retail bear a two-year expiration date. This acts as a lot number and is for stock rotation purposes. It does not mean the product is substandard after that date. Thus, bottled water purchased in bulk is good inddefinitely if stored appropriately. Appropriately means unopened in a cool, dry place away from odors and toxic substances.For those yearning for a more clinical explanation, it is thus: Bottled water is considered to be of virtually no significant nutritional value. Therefore, unlike milk, fish or poultry, bottled water is not an adequate substrate for pathogens responsible for the majority of food-borne illnesses. In that regard, IBWA's general position is that as long as bottled water is packaged in accordance with FDA processing and good manufacturing practices, 21 CFR, Part 129, and meets the FDA quality standard provisions as outlined in 21 CFR, Part 165, the product's shelf life should remain intact for an indefinite period provided that product storage and other post-packaging and handling practices do not adulterate or deleteriously affect the finished product. Whew. By the way, the size of the container is irrelevant. Bottled water is a federally regulated pure food product packaged and distributed in individually coded discrete sanitary containers. It adheres to a strict regimen of testing and analysis. IBWA members must also adhere to standards tougher than the FDA requirements and must also submit to annual surprise inspections by an independent third party inspection organization (National Sanitation Foundation/NSF International). For a list of bottled water regulations and IBWA members, visit IBWA's web site at http://www.bottledwater.org NOW YOU KNOW!
One thing to keep in mind. I used to buy bottled water and re-use the bottles over and over again. Well....apparently...your not supposed to do that because it's a haven for germ and bacteria growth. I guess I realized in the back of my mind this could happen but never really thought about it. So, the recommendation from one of those agencies(forget whom) is to only re-use the plastic bottle containers at most one or two times. After that, you put yourself at risk. If you are going to re-use the bottles, then they recommend washing it out thoroughly with hot water and soap. I have had re-used bottles of water sitting around for a few months at some points....no telling what is going on in there. Good thing I didn't drink from them containers. Better to be safe than sorry. Surf
Eeep.. I do that all the time. I'm sitting here right now drinking from a 2 month old 1-litre Evian bottle that I refill all the time. Thanks for the tip.
haha fade... i did the same thing with a wide mouth aquafina bottle... filled that sucker up for a year before 20/20 or one of those shows did a story on water bottles and re-using them... now i just get a glass, put ice in it and go to the water jug and fill it up! rH
Hmmm.....shallow water...life forms growing...... Anyway, I used to resuse those bottles for kool aid. One day I noticed a bacterial growth. sicko! I think if you rinse them 7-10 times with water or 70% alcohol after every use they will be fine.
