water
../../../..//2008/02/05/towns-are-discovering-an-unexpected/
Towns are discovering an unexpected side-effect of telling everyone to save save save water: lower water bills are resulting in a municipal income shortfall. [Toronto Star]
![California Bill To Mandate Disclosure Of Bottled Water Source, Quality](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/yay-bottles-of-water.jpg?w=175&h=225&crop=1)
California Bill To Mandate Disclosure Of Bottled Water Source, Quality
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is considering a bill that would require bottled water to bear a label clearly stating the source of the water, contact information for the bottler, and the location of recent water quality reports. SB 220 sailed through the California Legislature earlier this month, and would remind bottled water guzzlers that they are shelling out big bucks for a free, public resource.
The confusion has put some companies in hot water. PepsiCo Inc.’s Aquafina brand and Coca-Cola Co.’s Dasani were slammed by consumer and environmental groups for failing to clearly note that their products came from water systems.
![Aquafina Changes Label, Admits It's Tap Water](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/aquafina-thumb.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Aquafina Changes Label, Admits It's Tap Water
Aquafina, PepsiCo’s best-selling bottled water, is changing its label to clarify its true source: city water supplies. The labels have never claimed to be spring water, but the price, packaging, and placement in stores apparently made enough of the world believe it was.
![Aquafina To Admit Being From A "Public Water Source" On Label](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/aquafinadispensary.jpg?w=178&h=134&crop=1)
Aquafina To Admit Being From A "Public Water Source" On Label
Aquafina labels will soon say “Public Water Source,” a nod by bottler PepsiCo to the fact that its bottled water is the same water that goes into a Pepsi, just pre-carbonation
![How To Protect Electronics At The Beach](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/coulda-come-from-apple.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
How To Protect Electronics At The Beach
If the elements do manage to breach your defenses, send them on their way with a can of compressed air.
![It's Easier For You To Drink Fiji Water Than It Is For Most People From Fiji](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/fijiwater1.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
It's Easier For You To Drink Fiji Water Than It Is For Most People From Fiji
We were thirsty the other day and wandered into a cute organic foods store on Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn. As we went to pick out something to drink, we saw that only Fiji brand water was chilled. We decided to buy some tea, but for a moment we considered buying water from Fiji. After all, we were thirsty.
![Sprinklers Douse Travelers At LAX](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/laxsign.jpg?w=200&h=225&crop=1)
Sprinklers Douse Travelers At LAX
A water pipe broke, dousing travelers and workers and causing an evacuation at Los Angeles International Airport Sunday. Fun! From CBS:
At the Southwest Airlines check-in counter, computers were covered in plastic. The baggage claim area on the lower level was cordoned off, and sawdust and puddles of water lined the floor.
![Bottled Water Costs 1,000 Times More Than Tap Water](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/tapwater1.jpg?w=240&h=207&crop=1)
Bottled Water Costs 1,000 Times More Than Tap Water
You do not need to buy bottled water for health reasons in New York City since our water meets all federal and State health-based drinking water standards. Also, bottled water costs up to 1,000 times more than the City’s drinking water.
We don’t know exactly what they’re basing their numbers on, but we do know tap water is just as good as bottled. Put it in the Brita, put the Brita in the refrigerator, boom, lovely water. Just make sure to clean your Brita often enough.
Should I Put A Brick In My Toilet To Reduce Water Use?
A common trick for people concerned about water use is to put a brick in the toilet tank. However, some Public Works departments would prefer you fill a plastic bottle with sand or rocks and put that in the tank instead. They say that bricks can disintegrate and damage plumbing.
![Are You Paying $60 A Year For Water Pumped Into Chicken?](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/chicken4.jpg?w=158&h=113&crop=1)
Are You Paying $60 A Year For Water Pumped Into Chicken?
Awhile back we posted some videos that show how butchers get away with vacuum pumping water into meat to make it weigh more. Some of them try to be “honest” about it by throwing a little soy sauce in there and calling it marinade. Whatever. We don’t pay by the pound for our marinade and neither should you.
![Saratoga Springs Mineral Baths Diluted With Tap Water For Last 20 Years](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/saratoga-springs.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Saratoga Springs Mineral Baths Diluted With Tap Water For Last 20 Years
Saratoga Springs State Park, a longtime destination for people looking for a soak in the naturally-carbonated mineral waters that gave the town its name, has been secretly mixing regular municipal tap water into the baths. For twenty years.
![Above And Beyond: Pur Customer Service](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/pur-filter.jpeg?w=160&h=160&crop=1)
Above And Beyond: Pur Customer Service
Pur surprised reader StructuralPoke by sending him a free new aerator for his faucet-mounted purifier. He expected some charge to replace the broken part, which he couldn’t find listed on Pur’s website. After filling out a form on Pur’s website, he received the following response:
I am sorry to hear of the problem you had with our product. The quality of our products – their content, performance and packaging – is very important to us. We have many quality control checkpoints along the manufacturing line because we want each of our brands to be in perfect condition when purchased by our consumers. I’m sharing your comments with the rest of our team.
The U.S. Census: Beds Are Like, Totally Dangerous or Something
The New York Times has an article today about the U.S. Census 2007 Statistical Abstract of the United States. Big news: We drink a lot of bottle water. More than beer, if you can believe that. The most dangerous consumer item is a bicycle, the second is a bed. Yes, “Bicycles are involved in more accidents than any other consumer product, but beds rank a close second.”
![NYC’s Water Bills So Messed Up, City Can’t Collect Millions](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/waterdepartment.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
NYC’s Water Bills So Messed Up, City Can’t Collect Millions
New York City’s billing system is so screwed up that the city can’t collect millions of dollars in overdue payments.