The Irish Food Safety Authority (FSAI) has confirmed that - back in 2007 - a survey found that 1% of samples of bottled water in Ireland contained E. coli bacteria, which can be fatal.
A further 6.3% of water was found to have coliform bacteria, indicating possible faecal contamination.
Wayne Anderson, the FSAI Chief Specialist in Food Science, declared that the level of this contamination was "unacceptable" and that any problems found were corrected immediately.
He also said that "consumers should not be concerned about the quality and safety of bottled water on the market today".
It was found that one in every 11 of Irish produced bottled water was contaminated - which is nearly 10% - compared to one in 119 of imported water.
The study also found that over 7% of bottled water was in breach of Irish or EU guidelines.
Is there actually anything we can get right and do well, or does being Irish always mean messing things up?
Bottling water - despite certain hygienic requirements, which we seem to breech a lot more often than others - is not rocket science! But I suppose the "I don't care" attitude that has been one of the hallmarks of Irish society in recent years, comes to the fore everywhere now, even in water bottles.
Personally I never buy bottled water, as tap water is at least as good - perhaps even better - than the bottled liquid. And it is - still - free of charge. So why spend good money on bad bottled water?
Since bottled water became fashionable in Ireland about 20 years ago, it has risen steadily in price, but obviously not increased in quality. In most pubs bottled water costs almost the same as a pint, in some places even more. And someone told me last week that in a certain Dublin establishment he had paid more than € 8 for a bottle of branded water.
I told him that he must either be mad or in possession of too much money, and he replied that it had "gone on expenses". Which means he had not to pay it himself, but it still does not make it right.
I would never spend such a sum on a bottle of water. In fact, I boycott bottled water even in public and always ask for tap water. Over € 8, just think about it... that would have bought you ten Bank of Ireland shares this morning.
The Emerald Islander
A further 6.3% of water was found to have coliform bacteria, indicating possible faecal contamination.
Wayne Anderson, the FSAI Chief Specialist in Food Science, declared that the level of this contamination was "unacceptable" and that any problems found were corrected immediately.
He also said that "consumers should not be concerned about the quality and safety of bottled water on the market today".
It was found that one in every 11 of Irish produced bottled water was contaminated - which is nearly 10% - compared to one in 119 of imported water.
The study also found that over 7% of bottled water was in breach of Irish or EU guidelines.
Is there actually anything we can get right and do well, or does being Irish always mean messing things up?
Bottling water - despite certain hygienic requirements, which we seem to breech a lot more often than others - is not rocket science! But I suppose the "I don't care" attitude that has been one of the hallmarks of Irish society in recent years, comes to the fore everywhere now, even in water bottles.
Personally I never buy bottled water, as tap water is at least as good - perhaps even better - than the bottled liquid. And it is - still - free of charge. So why spend good money on bad bottled water?
Since bottled water became fashionable in Ireland about 20 years ago, it has risen steadily in price, but obviously not increased in quality. In most pubs bottled water costs almost the same as a pint, in some places even more. And someone told me last week that in a certain Dublin establishment he had paid more than € 8 for a bottle of branded water.
I told him that he must either be mad or in possession of too much money, and he replied that it had "gone on expenses". Which means he had not to pay it himself, but it still does not make it right.
I would never spend such a sum on a bottle of water. In fact, I boycott bottled water even in public and always ask for tap water. Over € 8, just think about it... that would have bought you ten Bank of Ireland shares this morning.
The Emerald Islander
