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ENVIRONMENT
According to the law.
"Natural mineral waters are distinguished from ordinary
drinking water to its original purity and its preservation
for the content of minerals, trace elements and / or other
constituents and possibly for some of their effects.
They should be kept away from any risk of pollution.
"(Legislative Decree no. January 25, 1992 No 105, Art. 1,
paragraph 2)
Deep or shallow: the difference is at the origin.
Natural mineral waters and drinking water are different,
governed by different laws with different origins and
characteristics.
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The mineral water comes from a deep reservoir, protected
and pristine.
And 'cause bacteriologically pure.
It is not subject to disinfection treatments.
And 'bottled at source.
In addition, the mineral water has by law and must have
the constancy of the composition and temperature.The
constant content of salts dissolved in it is the
identity of each mineral water.Its
uniqueness.
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The tap water - because of the amount that is consumed (consumption
per capita is about 250 liters per day) - has different
origins, often lakes or rivers (in Turin is a good
percentage from the Po, from Florence 'Arno),
groundwater or surface water, sometimes brackish waters.Owing
to its origin, is subject to various possibilities of
contamination and then to treatment and disinfection of
drinking water.Disinfection
always involves contact with chemicals that leave "tracks"
and alterations of water.
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The chlorine compounds (mainly hypochlorite) commonly
used for this purpose, determine the formation of
substances with toxicity higher or lower depending on
the nature and quantity.
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Controls
The mineral water and tap water are both subject to many
controls.
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The mineral water would - in theory - need special
monitoring due to its original purity, that he comes
from deep reservoirs and bottling at source.
It 'still subject to periodic tests and inspections by
the Health Authority, but also from self-control system
of the company, which provides for frequent sampling and
testing throughout the production cycle: the source,
bottling plant, to all stores' wholesale and retail.
The mineral waters may include tens of thousands a year
of analysis.
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The tap water originates from surface aquifers, more
subject to bacterial and chemical contamination is, or
is taken up by rivers and lakes and often traveling for
miles in pipes.
Is then drinkable through treatments that can leave "tracks"
in the water.
For these reasons, the law provides for the control of
some parameters of drinking water (such as for example
chlorine, bromine, etc..) Which are not provided for
mineral water because it does not undergo disinfection.
What's
in the water we drink?
And
how do we know?
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The mineral water comes from deep aquifers and is
bottled without treatment which may alter its natural
characteristics.
In più, ha un'etichetta.
In addition, it has a label.
All
that has to be provided by law, otherwise there can be
marketed.
Label can know its virtues and its composition, and
choose the most suitable to our needs.
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Tap water is often composed of waters of different
origins and must undergo treatment to ensure its
potability.
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The Legislative Decree No
31/2001 stabilisce infatti che un'acqua per definirsi
potabile debba essere “pulita e salubre”.
31/2001 stipulates that drinking water should be defined
to be "clean and healthy.Clean, because in everyday
household must not contain elements that give special
colors (think of the laundry or kitchen use); healthy,
because the drinker must be protected from contaminants
and pollutants harmful to health.
Despite the controls, the quality of drinking water,
however, is subject to many variables depending on the
original water quality, environmental events, etc..
In studies carried out on tap water contaminants most
frequently found elements are:
I
The CERAM and the University of Naples Federico II have
produced a
scientific study published in "The Italian Journal of
Hygiene" on drinking water quality that the Italians,
and the mineral is than tap water.
It 'the first study that takes into account the water at
the tap of the Italians at home.
The
survey involved 17 regions, 50 cities and is based on
analysis of 35,000, for which he has extreme significance
and is repeatable.
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Drinking water: the problem of exceptions.
LThe
law provides for the protection of the citizen.
However, if the water does not respect the limits set by
law for certain contaminants, may receive from the
Ministry of Health on the exception to be distributed
equally.
In Italy the use of these exceptions is fairly widespread.
Were frequently granted exemptions in particular on
Arsenic contamination up to 50 micrograms per liter, while
the law can not exceed 10 micrograms per liter.
The Arsenic is an element considered to be carcinogenic by
IARC - International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The regulation of mineral waters, however, does not
provide for any derogation from the limits established for
the chemical parameters for microbiological parameters.In
the event of exceedances, the Ministry of Health will
suspend the recognition and mineral water, therefore, can
no longer be marketed.
The cost of water.
How long does water cost?
The average annual expenditure of an Italian family for
mineral water is 118 €, considering the average price of
mineral water in Italy of 0.21 € per liter.Spending
down to 64 € if the household consumes water first price
(€ 0.117 per liter) and increases to 185 € per year if the
household consumes water premium (€ 0.338 per liter).
The average prices of mineral water in Italy are among the
lowest in Europe.
Tap water is obviously a cost / liter below.
Policies of tariff increases, however, are in place across
the country to cope with a structural lack of investment
during the past decades (pipes, treatment of drinking) and
failure to achieve the reservoirs, basins and other works.
Il sistema di condutture italiano versa infatti in gravi
condizioni.
The Italian system of pipes pour it in a serious condition.
The dispersion is currently calculated between 30 and 40%,
with peaks in the higher regions of the South The increase
in rates of drinking water - heralded by many public and
private companies - will serve to fill a long-term
shortfall of investment.
The Federation of the aqueducts (Federutility) presented
the 2010 Blue Book, which states that the water system
needs about 64 billion euros for restructuring of the
network and drinking water treatments.
According to a recent survey (Active Citizenship) rates of
drinking water, a first assessment, appear to be increased
by 35%.
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