by Linda Mason Hunter

In the early 1990s, health-conscious Americans started carrying plastic bottles of water around with them in an effort to drink water free of harmful synthetic chemicals. But is bottled really better? Not necessarily, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. A four-year study of 103 different bottled brands conducted by the NRDC found that a third of the brands contained bacteria or other chemicals that exceeded the industry's guidelines. Most of the water tested, however, was fine. If you prefer drinking bottled water, follow this advice:

• Read the label carefully to make sure what you think is "spring" water is not actually bottled from the municipal water supply.
• Refill or replace water from a plastic bottle often. Every time you drink, bacteria from your mouth contaminates the water in the bottle.
• Keep your plastic bottle clean by washing it in hot, soapy water or running it through the dishwasher before refilling it.

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