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The Vox Box

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Is water better bottled?

According to a study released Wednesday, much of the bottled water sold in America contains the same impurities that tap water does. While none of the leading brands of bottled water exceeded Federal standards for water purity, the study challenges the popular notion that bottled water is better to drink than tap water.

"In some cases, it appears bottled water is no less polluted than tap water and, at 1,900 times the cost, consumers should expect better," said Jane Houlihan, an environmental engineer who co-authored the study.

Researchers detected some 38 chemicals or other impurities in their study, including, among others, bacteria, caffeine, and acetaminophen, a popular painkiller. Additionally, according to the study, two brands of bottled water, Sam’s Choice and Acadia, fail to comply with California state regulations regarding the amount of chlorine byproducts in water. Both companies dispute these results; more information on the study here.

Are these results disappointing? What should consumers be able to expect to when paying 1,900 times as much for water as they would otherwise?

In 2006, then-editor Steve Smith of The Spokesman-Review had the idea of starting a publication for an often forgotten audience: teenagers. The Vox Box was a continuation of the Vox, an all-student staffed newspaper published by The Spokesman-Review. High school student journalists who staffed the Vox made all content decisions as they learn about the trade of journalism. This blog's mission was to give students an opportunity to publish their voices. The Vox Box and the Vox wrapped up in June 2009, but you can follow former staffers' new blog at http://voxxiez.blogspot.com.