Police Investigating Water Tampering Charges

A two-week police probe of contaminated bottled water has revealed no plot to poison the public. The three hospitalized victims probably drank water that had been accidentally contaminated, said the Police Dept.
Police investigators had busily tracked down charges of bottled water tampering made by eight Queens residents, over one-third of the city’s total. Contaminants were easy to spot. According to police reports, ammonia or allied products were accidentally inserted into some of the water bottles. Some complainants told the police that their drinking water either tasted bad or burned their mouths. The contents of all the bottles were tested in city labs.
Perrier Group President Kim E. Jeffrey, whose firm produced some of the allegedly contaminated water, pointed out that product purity was a high priority concern. The company maintains daily quality assurance and production records, including water analysis, sanitation activities, and packaging checks. "We will do everything we can to help the authorities get to the bottom of this situation," Jeffrey declared.
According to the Department of Environmental Protection, pure water is a mixture of hydrogen (11,188 percent of weight) and oxygen (88.812%). The DEP also inserts small amounts of chlorine (water purification), fluoride (anti-tooth decay), orthosthate (prevents water pipe metals from leeching into water), and sodium hydroxide (reduces metal corrosion).
The rash of bottled water complaints also highlights a series of recent reports issued during the past year by the Natural Resource Defense Council and Consumer Reports, which analyzed the qualities of bottled and tap water.
Eric Goldsteid, NRDC’s Urban Specialist, said that his New York City-based agency’s prime concern was to maintain water purity at its sources in the upstate reservoirs. "The quality of city reservoirs is under attack," he warned, "because of increased development in upstate New York."
Meanwhile, relishing the high marks accorded the quality of the city’s tap water during the recent water bottle uproar, DEP Commissioner Joel Miele reminded thirsty New Yorkers: "New York City water meets all federal and state health-related water quality standards and it regularly wins honors in taste contests. Not only is our water good, and safe to drink, it’s a real bargain."