The bottled water industry has recently been the target of misguided and confusing criticism by activist groups and a handful of mayors who have presented misinformation and subjective criticism as facts. The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) has provided the facts about bottled water to virtually every major U.S. media outlet and in local markets nationwide. IBWA has set the record straight about the bottled water industry's outstanding record of environmental stewardship and responsible use of resources, the industry's demonstrated support of recycling, bottled water regulation and safety, and the role of bottled water as a consumer beverage-of-choice.

IBWA is moving forward on a variety of fronts (communications, government relations, technical/research) to best represent the bottled water industry and bring facts to the forefront of this emerging national dialogue. IBWA on August 3, 2007 placed full-page advertisements in The New York Times and The San Francisco Chronicle to bring balanced, positive and factual bottled water information to consumers and community leaders.

"IBWA determined that the effectiveness of advertising would help cut through the clutter and provide a direct line to consumers with the facts and good news about bottled water," said IBWA President and CEO Joseph K. Doss. "The bottled water industry has a right and responsibility to help ensure that consumers are not swayed from making bottled water--a healthy, safe, and convenient product--their beverage of choice."

"Some groups seek to pit bottled water against public drinking water systems," Doss continued. "But bottled water is all about beverage choice, available to consumers in all walks of life who choose, or rely upon, bottled water for refreshment and hydration. Any actions that discourage the use of this healthy beverage choice are not in the public interest. When it comes to bottled water or tap water, most people drink both, depending on the circumstances."

The bottled water industry supports and relies on safe, quality ground water resources as well as municipal water systems. We are interested in strengthening, not undermining, municipal water sources and bottled water sales have nothing to do with tap water infrastructure funding or drinking water system improvements.

Doss concluded, "If the debate is about the impact of plastic packaging on the environment, a narrow focus on bottled water spotlights only a small portion of the packaged beverage category and an even smaller sliver of the universe of packaged products. Any efforts to reduce the resources necessary to produce and distribute packaged goods-and increase recycling rates--must focus on ALL packaging. Any other approach misses a real opportunity to arrive at a comprehensive solution to protecting and sustaining the environment."

To view a copy of the ad that has been placed, or for environmental facts, please visit www.bottledwater.org.