European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 24, 1973, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Old bottled by Frederick m. Winship United press International one out of every 500 american Homes uses bottled water double the number 10 years ago. Why has a custom generally considered european grown so quickly into a $125 Mil lion business in a country where tap water has always been As american As App Lepie the american bottled water association Aba credits the purity and taste of bottled water which comes from Natu ral Springs and Wells or is formulated or distilled. There s also the convenience of bottled water in factories offices and schools. The association does not officially credit the Boom to the Public Sfear of pollution there s been a tendency to advertise bottled water by knocking tap water but the Aba has an advertising code of ethics that opposes this sort of and said John g. Scott association president. Most tap water in the United states is Safe except for temporary  Scott president of the 103-year-old Mountain Valley water co., admits that the pollution Issue has attracted a number of Fly by night water bottlers to the Busi Ness during the past few years but he said Many already have folded. There Are 700 firms Active today Many of them serving Small areas where the water of a local Spring has Long been considered healthful. Mountain Valley of hot Springs ark., known As the water of presidents is the Only natural Spring water distributed nationally and the major holdout against plastic containers which have become common in the Market. It is a hard water Low in sodium and tends to pickup some taste of plastic. We even age our bottles six months be in Bond fore they Are used Scott said. That s a guard  the Chance that chemical activity in new Glass would effect  devotees of the Mountain Valley taste Range from president Nixon who took the water with him on his trips to peking and Moscow to secretariat and Riva Ridge the thoroughbred racers. French bottled Waters have Long dominated the european Market but the late american born Duch Ess of Talleyrand imported Mountain Val Ley into France. All european bottled Waters by Law Are natural or Mineral and a number of them Are laxative said Scott who pointed out that there Are no longer any laxative Waters on the american Market. But in the United states we be made Progress in making water taking minerals out and adding others to taste. It s called  although most natural Springwater bottlers do not play up the medicinal aspect of their product some medical authorities say natural water washes wastes from the body twice As effectively As tap water. Young persons drink 8 to 15 glasses of water a Day but older persons May drink Only about half that Many and expect it Todo the same Job. That s where bottled water can play its part Scott said. As bottled water becomes big business big business is buying into it. American Nestle has purchased Deer Park Spring water co., in Maryland the coca cola company of Atlanta purchased Belmont Springs water co., near Boston and fore. Most Mckesson bought spar Letts drink ing water corp., in Southern California an area which accounts for half the bottled water sales in the United states. A Sluman consumption is the main use of bottled water but it also has Industrial name your poison/7 a a