Not All Water Is Equal

I used to think that all bottled water was the same. I assumed it was taken from a clean mountain stream and filtered to whatever extent it needed. I figured it was healthier than the chlorine & flouride laced tap water.

I can admit it when I'm wrong.


According to an article (October 2008) by the Environmental Working Group, Walmart's Sam's Choice and Giant's Acadia bottled brands have levels of chlorine byproducts that are similar to tap water. Giant's brand even has flouride, making it "chemically indistinguishable from tap water."


My Spring Water lists Pepsi's Aquafina, Coke's Dasani, and Evian as "good quality" but with significant differences. Aquafina comes from a municipal source (just like tap water) and is purified through charcoal filtration, reverse osmosis, and ozonination. These processes remove virtually all natural minerals (which is good stuff).
Dasani is also taken from a municipal source and goes through reverse osmosis. A blend of minerals is mixed back in with the water after the purification process.
Evian, which I believe to be the best of the 3, is from the northern French Alps. The only filtration is the flowing of the water through the ground's sand and clay, which leaves the natural minerals.

Just from these few examples, it's obvious not all bottled water is "spring" water. Here, My Spring Water explains the different kinds of water, such as spring, municipal/tap, purified, mineral, etc.

Side Note: I rarely buy bottled water. I have a couple of travel mugs and a BPA-free plastic bottle that I refill with filtered water from home. I just thought it was interesting that bottled water could vary so much between brands. Next time I buy bottled water though, I think it'll be Evian since that's not something I can get at home.