By Alma Copeland, Home Economist
TEAM Resources

Several tests and studies have checked the bacteria count in water bottles. Three out of four bottles tested from an exercise club had bacteria. A study of water bottles at a Calgary elementary school found bacteria in kids' bottles that would prompt health officials to issue boil-water advisories, had the samples come from a tap. The bacteria likely came from the kids' hands and mouths over time as they repeatedly used the same bottles without washing them or allowing them to dry. Reusable and multi-use bottles, should be washed thoroughly everyday and allowed to air dry.

Bottles that you buy water, pop and juices in are not intended for reuse. Yet these bottles are frequently found in classrooms and workplaces countrywide. While people may think they're doing a good deed for the environment when they reuse them for anything from orange juice in a bagged lunch to a week's worth of water refills from the office water cooler, researchers say they could be risking their health. Dangerous bacteria and potentially toxic plastic compounds have been found.

We are learning that repeated washing of these bottles might not be a good idea. A study conducted in the United States suggests the kind of thorough washing that could kill bacteria might accelerate the breakdown of the plastic, potentially causing toxic chemical compounds to leach into the liquid inside. Plastic experts contend the bottles are safe, but conclude little is known about what happens when the bottles are used over and over again.

The Canadian Bottled Water Association advises against reusing these containers altogether. It says they are made for one time use and should be recycled afterward, not reused. People are unable to properly sterilize the bottles at home and the industry doesn't evaluate the safety of the bottles for multiple usage.