Indicators for Determination of the Bacteriological Quality of Bottled Water

Abstract

Water is essential for maintaining life and is considered the most important natural resource.< 11 Although human life can exist for many days without food, the absence of water for only a few days has fatal consequences.<2J

About 70 percent of the human body is composed of water and a little variation of I to 2 percent will cause thirst and pain. The loss of 5 percent of body water can cause hallucinations, while I 0 to 15 percent can be fatat.< 31 The presence of a safe and reliable source of water is thus an

essential prerequisite for the establishment of a stable community.<21

Approximately 70 percent of the earth is covered by water, but only

2.5 percent of the total volume is not salty and therefore potentially available for consumption by humans, plants and animals.< 41

People use water for a wide variety of purposes, including drinking, cooking, bathing, laundering and excreta disposal. It is also used for carriage of waste disposal, irrigation of agricultural land, providing supplies for farm animals and in generation of power and transportation (waterways and canals). Water also has a recreational and aesthetic use in boating, sailing, water skiing and in spray fountains. The four largest industrial users of water are paper, chemicals, petroleum and primary metals manufacturers