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Classification of mineral water types and comparison with drinking water standards

Environmental Geology (2003) 44:554–563 DOI 10.1007/s00254-003-0791-4

N.G.F.M. van der Aa1

Abstract In a study of 291 mineral waters from 41 different countries, 9-20% exceeded the Dutch drinking water standards for chloride, calcium, magnesium, kalium, sodium, sulphate and fluorine. The mineral water quality cannot be qualified as bad since the standards for these compounds with the exception of fluorine, are not based on health effects but on undesirable taste effects and possible negative effects on the water supply system. For the mineral water data set the amount of dissolved compounds, hardness and chloride content appear to be the most distinctive criteria. A mineral water type classification based on these criteria will offer consumers a tool for assessing the mineral water on the basis of the chemical composition data on the bottle label. In terms of the criteria mentioned, average Dutch tap water strongly resembles the Belgian and Dutch mineral waters. This similarity does not extend to the price, since Dutch tap water is about 500 times cheaper.

Key words: mineral water, water classification, drinking/bottled water standards

Introduction

Mineral water has been gaining in popularity over the last decades. The nation-wide consumption in the Netherlands increased from 5.5 to 15.9 litres per person in the period 1980-1997 (Dutch soft drinks industry). For comparison: the consumption of coffee and milk is about 165 and 70 litres per person respectively. The Dutch mineral water market is modest as compared to other European countries like Italy, Belgium and

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Technical soil protection committee, P.O. Box 30974, 2500 GX The Hague, The Netherlands, tel: +31 703398914 e-mail:

monique.vanderaa@minvrom.nl

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Germany. The increasing number of mineral waters for sale at supermarkets raises more questions about the differences between these mineral waters,...