Trivia 3: Test Your Water IQ

Austin Schuver is a 15-year-old Enumclaw High School student who has undertaken the impressive project of learning and informing others about the bottled water industry and its effects on the environment. He has organized a free screening of the documentary this Saturday, August 18 at the Enumclaw High School Auditorium, beginning at 7 p.m.

How much do you know about the water supply in Enumclaw as well as the issue of bottled water? (Answers are at the bottom of the screen)

1. Which of the following is not a bottled water treatment used by companies to protect against Cryptosporidium, a parasite found in water that could be harmful to people with compromised immune systems?

a. Reverse osmosis

b. Distillation

c. Iodine

d. Ultraviolet light

e. Filtration with an absolute one micron filter

(Source: EPA (PDF link))

2. True or False: If you see an NSF International logo on a bottle of water, it means it's certified by the FDA, the government agency charged with its regulation.

(Source: EPA (PDF link))

3. While tap water is typically disinfected with chlorine and chloramine because they are effective and inexpensive and they continue to treat the water as it travels through pipes to homes and businesses, water bottlers prefer to use:

a. Filtration

b. Distillation

c. Ozone

d. UV light

(Source: EPA (PDF link))

4. True or False: Carbonated water, soda water, seltzer water, sparkling water and tonic water are all considered soft drinks and are not regulated as bottled water.

(Source: EPA (PDF link))

5. When the EPA sets a new standard for a contaminant in tap water, the FDA:

a. Must establish a new standard for the same contaminant in bottled water - no ifs, ands or buts.

b. Must establish a new standard for the same contaminant in bottled water or find that the EPA's new standar is not applicable to bottled water.

c. Can do what it wants

(Source: EPA (PDF link))

For earlier trivia questions and answers, , and .

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ANSWERS BELOW:

1. C. Iodine; 2. False; 3. C. Ozone; 4. True; 5. B.