Just say Neau to bottled water

Hello, I'm Rollo Groast and this is the first of the occasional postings I will be making to Phronesisiacal while Timmy is away.

This morning I was trolling my way through my in-box, reading emails from the Association for the Study of Food and Society list serve (the only list serve to which I've ever enjoyed my subscription). I found a discussion of bottled water: does it really taste better; are there notable variations in taste from one source or company to the next; what does the consumption of bottled water have to say about social capital; and finally, is it safer to drink than American tap water and why do consumers believe this to be the case?

One poster brought to our attention the Dutch product Neau water, pronounced "No." Neau is a pvc bottle, similar in appearance to other bottled waters, but without the water. It does contain a message, a flyer describing the charitable ends (water quality improvement projects in developing countries) to which proceeds from the sale of Neau water will be put. It also exhorts you to fill your bottle with the exceptionally safe and abundant tap water to be had in Holland.

I find Neau water to be especially amusing as most bottled water is simply a full-service version of Neau water. The vast majority of bottled water now sold in the North American market is simply tap water bottled and distributed by the same corporate entities bringing you Coca Cola, Pepsi and other mass marketed soft drinks.