Bottled water is one of the fastest growing beverages in the United States, with volume swelling to more than 5.4 billion gallons in 2001 — a 10.6 percent increase over 2000.

Wholesale dollars increased even more dramatically, by 11.5 percent to nearly $6.5 billion in 2001.

Beverage Marketing Group (BMG), a New York consulting company, said per capita consumption of bottled water has been growing by around one gallon annually.

In 1991, the United States drank the equivalent of 9.3 gallons for each resident. By 2001, per capita bottled water consumption approached 20 gallons, BMG said.

Survey shows growth

Results from a survey done for the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), Alexandria, VA, said 46 percent of Americans drink bottled water daily, consuming an average 1.7 eight-ounce servings, and that bottled water is the third most consumed beverage based on average daily consumption, just behind filtered/non-filtered water (3.6 servings per day) and coffee (1.8 servings per day).

Perrier Group of America (PGA), Greenwich, CT, and Danone Waters of North America (DWNA), Pasadena, CA, are the largest water purveyors in the United States.

But the relentless growth of the market has drawn top soft drink manufacturers such as the Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, and Pepsi Co., Purchase, NY, whose bottled water brands Dasani and Aquafina frequently rival each other in sales and popularity.

Popularity grows in Europe

Bottled water is also becoming more popular in other areas, such as Europe and Australia, because consumers are beginning to recognize its health benefits.

Some people see bottled water as an accessory, and as a result companies have developed bottles with unique designs to cater to those tastes.

Bottled water is no longer an isolated industry; some point-of-use companies have been branching out into bottled water, and vice versa.