IS REUSING WATER BOTTLES SAFE?
Dear Alice, I started buying bottled water because it seemed to taste better. As an experiment, I tried refilling the empty bottles with tap water and refrigerating them. And I discovered that what I really liked was drinking chilled water out of the bottle. If no one else is using the bottles, how often do I need to wash the bottles out with soap as opposed to just re-filling them? Dear Reader, Hmmm… these days it seems that many people are very thirsty, habitually re-filling water bottles and carrying them around town, to the gym, and to work. Your question offers an opportunity to learn a bit more about the safety issues involved. A little research has turned up two opinion groups: • the refillers • the non-refillers (represented, in particular, by the International Bottled Water Association, an organization that represents the interest of companies that sell bottled water). The Refillers say that washing and re-using water bottles is safe, particularly if they are washed regularl
