Reuse Your Water Bottle? Better Think Twice
Doctor Compares Water In Used Bottle To Lake Water
Updated: 8:18 a.m. EST November 11, 2003
Health experts tell consumers to drink water and lots of it, and grabbing a bottle of water is quick and easy.
But rather than throw the bottle out, have you refilled a water bottle again and again?
Experts say refilling the bottle may be hazardous to your health.
Volunteers at a Michigan gym were willing to give up their reused water bottles for lab testing.
"It looks clean to me, but I'm sure you're going to find some stuff in there," said Tiffanie Barackman, an aerobics instructor.
One volunteer was extra confident about her bottle being clean. She said she washed it often with scalding hot water.
The bottles tested for bacteria at Paragon Labs in Livonia, Mich.
Three out of the four bottles tested contained enough bacteria to make a person sick, according to Dr. Frank McGeorge, of Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.
"This would be no different than drinking lake water," McGeorge said about one bottle. "Just imagine filling your bottle at the beach."
When bacteria are measured, it is usually done in counts. A brand-new bottle of water should have a bacteria count of less than one. In Michigan, public swimming pools should have bacteria counts of less than 200.
In the test, one of the volunteers' bottles had a bacteria count of 500, and another tested at 4,600. Although these amounts of bacteria aren't enough to kill you, McGeorge said they could certainly cause stomach aches, vomiting or diarrhea.
McGeorge said that many of the commercial water bottles have ridges and that it is very difficult to get those ridge areas clean.
A bacteria group called coliforms were found in one bottle. Although the bacteria is not disease-causing itself, it does serve as an indicator of the presence of bacteria like e. coli and fecal coliforms, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
The volunteers were surprised at the amount of bacteria lurking in each bottle.
Although her bottle wasn't clinically sterile, the safest bottle belonged to our volunteer who washed her reused bottle with scalding water.
"I'm shocked that it's that clean, but I'm pretty impressed with myself," she said.
Experts say if you insist on reusing your bottle, make sure you wash it thoroughly with hot soapy water after every use, and let it dry before you refill it.
Experts say refilling the bottle may be hazardous to your health.
Volunteers at a Michigan gym were willing to give up their reused water bottles for lab testing.
"It looks clean to me, but I'm sure you're going to find some stuff in there," said Tiffanie Barackman, an aerobics instructor.
One volunteer was extra confident about her bottle being clean. She said she washed it often with scalding hot water.
The bottles tested for bacteria at Paragon Labs in Livonia, Mich.
Three out of the four bottles tested contained enough bacteria to make a person sick, according to Dr. Frank McGeorge, of Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.
"This would be no different than drinking lake water," McGeorge said about one bottle. "Just imagine filling your bottle at the beach."
When bacteria are measured, it is usually done in counts. A brand-new bottle of water should have a bacteria count of less than one. In Michigan, public swimming pools should have bacteria counts of less than 200.
In the test, one of the volunteers' bottles had a bacteria count of 500, and another tested at 4,600. Although these amounts of bacteria aren't enough to kill you, McGeorge said they could certainly cause stomach aches, vomiting or diarrhea.
McGeorge said that many of the commercial water bottles have ridges and that it is very difficult to get those ridge areas clean.
A bacteria group called coliforms were found in one bottle. Although the bacteria is not disease-causing itself, it does serve as an indicator of the presence of bacteria like e. coli and fecal coliforms, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
The volunteers were surprised at the amount of bacteria lurking in each bottle.
Although her bottle wasn't clinically sterile, the safest bottle belonged to our volunteer who washed her reused bottle with scalding water.
"I'm shocked that it's that clean, but I'm pretty impressed with myself," she said.
Experts say if you insist on reusing your bottle, make sure you wash it thoroughly with hot soapy water after every use, and let it dry before you refill it.
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