Bottled-water companies would have to disclose the source of their H2O under a bill that has passed through the California legislature and awaits the pen of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bill would require companies to list the minerals, chemicals, and bacteria present in bottled water, as well as whether it came originally from a well, aquifer, spring, or plain ol’ municipal reservoir. In other water news, the U.S. EPA has issued revised national regulations that strengthen requirements for testing tap water for lead and require utilities to notify customers immediately if water supplies are found to be contaminated with high levels of the heavy metal. The new rules will “help get the lead out and keep it out of our drinking water,” says EPA water guy Benjamin Grumbles, whose way with a cliché is nearly on par with his delightful name.
