Demand for bottled water hits new high

At stores across the country, bottled watter is threatening to take over the soft drink isle. Many students are on top of the trend, shunning sugary drinks for a more natural thirst-quencher.

"I think what we're seeing in this country now is what has been in European countries for years," said Jennifer Levine, director of communications for the International Bottled Water Association. "In Europe, bottled water is a part of life - it's on the tables at lunch. America is beginning to become a bottled water country also."

Students addicted to bottled water can get a fix at several campus stores, including the Diag Party Shoppe and White Market.

"I get tired of pop and caffeine and want an alternative, so I usually drink about two bottles a week," said LSA sophomore John Fencyk. "I don't spend too much money on it because I buy it in bulk."

PAUL TALANIAN/Daily Many students are now heading to the bottled water section, instead of the soft drink section, to quench their thirst.

The Diag Party Shoppe, which is located on S. State Street, offers 14 different brands of water, including mineral, spring and purified. They range in price from $.99 for a small bottle to $3 for large ones.

The Diag Party Shoppe sells 120 bottles of water a day, and on average, 95 percent of the buyers are students. White Market, which is located on E. William Street, sells 100 bottles every two days and about 80 percent of the customers are students.

Just like the coffee trend before it, bottled water also can become an expensive habit.

"I don't buy a bunch of little bottles. I find it's more reasonable to buy the gallon. I spend from about $.60 to $.90 for these," said LSA junior Naima Carver. Carver also added that she doesn't buy into the advertising - she just thinks bottled water tastes better than Ann Arbor tap water.

Even thought it's still a small industry, bottled water companies are on the rise to meet growing consumer demand.

"I've been with Cap 10 for seven years and it's been continuous growth over those years." said Glen Davis, quality assurance manager for the Cap 10 Water Company in Plymouth.

Much of the increase in sales may be due to increased advertising, which in some cases aim directly at younger people. Many companies have their own Websites, including Water Concepts, which sells Water Joe. The Website even has a place for visitors to offer their suggestions on different uses for Water Joe, which is caffeinated. Some responses range from "making ice cubes with it" to "putting it in the fishbowl."

Davis said the Food and Drug Administration categorizes water brands according to their contents and how the water is collected.

Mineral water often includes minerals like calcium, but also contains some undesirable elements. Spring water must be gathered from a sanitary underground source, whereas purified water only has to be filtered, Davis said.

Questions about water content and bottled water labels can be addressed to the International Bottled Water Association at 1-800-WATER-11 or on the Web at http://www.bottledwater.org.

10-16-97