The water used can be glacial water, spring water, well water, purified water as well as public water sources (ie, tap water). Many countries, particularly developed countries, regulate the quality of bottled water through government standards, typically used to ensure that water quality is safe and labels accurately reflect bottle contents. In many developing countries, however, such standards are variable and are often less stringent than those of developed nations

Bottled water is water sold to consumers in sealed containers. It can be represented as "spring" or "mineral" water. It might also bewater from various sources that may have been treated to make it fit for human consumption and put in sealed containers for sale. Bacteria are found in most bottled waters sold for drinking purposes. Bottled water is usually disinfected to remove harmful organisms, but is not intended to sterilize the water. Usually, sterile water is reserved for pharmaceuticals.

Many studies have shown that the levels of bacteria increase quickly to maximum levels after six weeks of unrefrigerated shelf life. However, since disinfection (ultra-violet (UV) light, or ozonation) destroys the harmful organisms, this natural regrowth of harmless flora of the water is not considered to be a health hazard. Refrigeration is recommended after the water container is opened in case harmful bacteria are reintroduced at this time.

Untreated or inadequately treated water from wells and other sources can contain sufficient numbers of disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, parasites and viruses to cause illness. Health Canada is coordinating the development of the "Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality" and Canadians can be assured that Canada has high quality drinking water. These guidelines are intended to apply to all drinking water supplies, public and private.

Bottled water can also contain these contaminants. However, illness caused by bottled water is very rare in Canada because it is treated, disinfected and monitored to ensure the absence of harmful organisms. To the best of our knowledge, no waterborne disease outbreaks have been associated with the consumption of bottled water in Canada. Published reports have shown that in countries where manufacturing practices are not as strict as in Canada, improperly manufacturedbottled water has led to outbreaks of cholera and typhoid, and to "Traveller's Disease". -----

Q: does anyone else have this problem.

since i started atkins when ever i drink water i get bad heartburn or i feel sick to my tummy. but i have found a decaf peach tea taht i can drink unsweetend that doesn't bother me and to be honest even cuts the greasyness of my eating.

so by chance will the tea count as my water ? if not anyone have any ideas that might help me get the water down? or by cahnce are rolaids ok to use?

A: Some would say no, some say yes. Like many things LC it's all a matter of how your system handles it. DH's urologist says that 2 litres a day of 'water-based fluid' is what's important!

Is the tea caffeinated? That *might* tend to make you more dehydrated which can be a problem with LC. Is there a decaf option you could try instead?

Have you tried drinking your water at different temperatures? Sometimes that can make a difference - in winter I need my water no cooler than room temperature (sometimes slightly warmer), in summer if it's not ice-cold I can't get it down. Others find they need it really cold (or really warm) all year round. Or drinking through a sports-top bottle, or a straw, rather than a glass. Experiment and find out what (if anything) works for you.

Have you tried adding a little flavouring to your water? Some people swear by a squeeze of citrus juice (usually lemon, some like lime or orange) to make things go down more easily. Yes, the juice adds carbs but a couple of tablespoons of juice per litre of water isn't going to add many. Sometimes I add a pinch of unsweetened Kool Aid (I like the lemonade or lemonade-tea versions) to a 750 ml (roughly 26 oz) water bottle - it doesn't need sweetener (to my taste) and adds just a hint of flavour.

Another way to get used to drinking water is to try making your tea a little less strong now and again and 'ease' yourself into drinking plain water.

Whichever way you do it, don't forget you need to drink enough to avoid dehydration! Water is great for that, but if you REALLY can't get it in, make sure you drink plenty of other water-based fluids.