Filtered and Bottled Waters: Perception of its Quality against Tap Water in Selected Locations in Jordan

Three different potable water types: tap water, purified/filtered water in private plants and stores, and sealed bottled water were collected from two governorates; Amman and Al Balqa and analyzed for various chemical parameters. The quality of bottled and filtered waters were assessed against the quality of treated municipal water system in terms of their suitability for human consumption. The bottled water samples were selected from ten brands (national and global), while filtered waters samples collected from a number of filtered water stores. The tap water samples have been collected from different locations in and around the two governorates. The results showed that quality of potable water varied depending on many factors such as: water quality at source, types of purification/filtration system, and the storage methods. None of the analyzed parameters exceeded the national and international guideline for potable water. Minor variations in chemical parameters were found between local and imported bottled water brands. All parameters tested were within both the national standards as well as the WHO guidelines, and the quality of tap water tested in all collected samples was in general good and is considered potable water with no health risk. The quality of water come from water purification shops contains medium ratios of chemical elements compared with tap water and bottled water. Quality of bottled water showed significant variation among the samples collected from different brands due to the diversity of methods of treatment and source of water from where these waters come from.