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Which bottled water brand is safe?
After I heard the news about microplastics found in almost all of bottled waters, I wanted to find a safe bottled water brand for me and my family. While researching, I realized that bottled water not only contains microplastics in it, but also plastic bottles can leach toxic chemicals such as endocrine disruptors into the water. Also , some bottled water brands source their water from municipal supply and their purification of this water makes water mineral-deficient. Many of these bottled waters are also acidic and take minerals out of our body. In addition, there is a possibility that spring or mineral water with high minerals are contaminated with harmful metals or viruses. I’ve been enjoying bottled water for a long time now but which brands are safe? In this post, I share with you my findings about bottled water brands and the brand that I chose.
Bottled Water That Is Not Packaged In Plastics
Microplastics
In the study done by journalism organization Orb Media, 11 brands were tested across nine countries for microplastics. Brands include Aqua, Aquafina, Bisleri, Dasani, E-Pura, Evian, Gerolsteliner, Minaba, Nestle Pure and San Pellegrino. 93% of bottled water tested had microplastics. That means almost all bottled water contained microplastics. Amount of microplastics found in the bottle differed even within the same brands. Some bottles of Bisleri and E-Pura showed no micro plastics, however, when they were purchased elsewhere, they contained microplastics. Other brands were the same. While they contained small amount of microplastics when they were purchased at one location, large amount of microplastics were found when they were purchased elsewhere. This could mean all bottled water has microplastics in the water. Even within same brands, some will contain it and some will not. We just don’t know which bottles have it.
So how did micro plastics end up in a bottle? One theory is that while opening the bottle, the debris from bottle cap may have fallen into the water. Bottle caps are made of polypropylene and 54% of microplastics found in bottled water was also polypropylene. So does that mean microplastics only get into the water when you open a water bottle? Just like research done by by journalism organization Orb Media, researchers at McGill University also did the study on microplastics in bottled water. They used a sampling of Aquafina, Dasani, Eska, Naya and Nestle Pure Life brands. They tested bottled water purchased from Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, Canada. 30 of 50 bottled water tested had microplastics in their water. Each brand had microplastics found including a glass bottle of Eska. (Eska’s glass bottle cap is not plastic.) Amount of microplastics found in glass bottles were lower amount than microplastics found in plastic bottles. However, the fact that they were found in even glass bottles suggests that microplastics may have gotten in the water where bottling took place. These studies suggest that all bottled water brands can contain microplastics. Therefore, I didn’t find any bottled water that is safe from microplastics. Now another study has also came out and said 83% of tap water in the world are contaminated with microplastics. US had 94%, the highest contamination rate. So microplastics are everywhere, not just in bottled water.
(Microplastics found in some Canadian bottled water)
(Plastic Fibers Found In Tap Water Around The World, Study Reveals)
Plastics Leaching Harmful Chemicals (antimony, phthalates, Bisphenol A(BPA) or Bfluorene-9-bisphenol (BHPF)
Bottled water is packaged in plastic called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). However, this plastic material leaches harmful chemicals into the water. Leaching chemicals include antimony, phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) or Bfluorene-9-bisphenol (BHPF). These chemicals will be released more and faster if the water bottles are placed in a warm or hot temperature. Also, the longer water is stored in the bottle, the more chemicals will be leached. Unfortunately, most bottled water is packaged in plastics so it is hard to avoid this problem. If you don’t want to drink bottled water, you can use filter for the tap water at home and filter water yourself. If you do drink bottled water, do not store in a warm, hot place for a long period of time. Another option is to buy bottled water packaged in glass or paper instead of plastic.
Bottled water that is packaged in glass or paper is as follows. (However, there are other factors to be considered other than packaging to choose safe bottled water so please read on!)
Water Packaged In Glass
Water Packaged In Paper
Bottled Water With A Safe pH Level
The neutral pH level of water is 7. Ideal pH of water should be between 6.5 ~ 8.5 which is close to the pH level our bodies naturally maintain. (7.35 to 7.45.) PH water that is too acidic or alkaline can damage our health. Some popular brands such as Dasani and Aquafina, have a pH of 5 which is too acidic. Beverages such as Gatorade and Vitamin Water also have pH level that is too low, 3.5 and 3.4.
Here are some brands that fall into neutral pH range. If you want to find more about what water pH levels are and how acidic & alkaline water affect health, please read my previous post, Safe Bottled Water Guides: How Bottled Water Can Be Toxic.
- Smart Water: 6.5, +296
- Great Value (Walmart): 6.5, +380
- Gerber Pure Water: 6.5, +297
- Arrowhead: 6.83, +360
- Evian: 7.0, +350
- Volvic: 7.0
- Zephyrhills: 7.5
- Absopure: 7.5,+281
- Fiji: 7.5, +274
- Super Chill: 7.5, +2
- Evamor: 8.071, +174
- Real Water: 8.0, -60 (Negative ORP!)
- Ice CanyonSpring water from CVS pharmacy: 7.5
- Icelandic Spring water from Iceland: 8.0
- Ice Mountain Natural Spring Water: 6.5, +302
- Frontier Springs: 6.5
- Amway Perfect Water: 7.2, +250
- San Pellegrino: 7.7
- Mountain Valley Spring Water: 7.8
- Eska Water: 7.8
- Just Water: 8.0
(Analyzing And Comparing Brands Of Bottled Water)
* I have also put ORP (Oxidation-Reduction Potential) number after water’s pH level. ORP measures the cleanliness of the water and its ability to break down contaminants. The higher the reading, the more oxidizing water is. I left it blank if I didn’t have an ORP number available. (What is ORP?)
*San Pellegrino, Mountain Valley Spring Water, Eska Water and Just Water which are not packaged in plastic bottles, have pH level between 7 and 8. However, quality of water also depends on its source and treatment it receives. I will talk about that next.
Good Quality Bottled Water Based On Source And Treatment
Bottled water can be naturally sourced from glaciers, lakes and springs. It is also sourced from public water such as municipal supply. When water is sourced, it may or may not go through filtration or purifying process before getting bottled to remove contaminants or chemicals. Let’s take a look at types of water based on its source and treatment. I have categorized bottled water as following: Water with natural minerals and water without natural minerals.
1. Water With Natural Minerals
Mineral Water
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies mineral water as water coming from an underground source and containing at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. Minerals must come from the source and can not be added later. Mineral water could be natural spring water or artesian well water.
Spring Water
Spring water is surface water that come naturally from the ground of the earth. It is filtered naturally through layers of sand and rock formations as it moves through an underground aquifer which is contamination-free. It may or may not be filtered or purified artificially before getting bottled. According to U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), spring water must be collected only at the spring or through a borehole that taps the underground formation feeding the spring. If water is collected through a borehole, it must have the same quality as water collected at the spring. If spring water goes through purification process, the water will be classified as purified water, not spring water. (Bottled Water Everywhere: Keeping it Safe)
Spring water contains natural minerals that are healthy for our body unlike tap water or treated water. Minerals such as calcium, lithium and magnesium are essential minerals we can get from water. On top of this healthy benefits, spring water doesn’t have harmful chemicals that tap water contains. However, spring water can be contaminated from human or animal waste, storm water runoff, improperly treated septic and sewage discharges and wildlife. Groundwater may be pure but when the groundwater is on its way to the surface, it can become contaminated. The quality of spring water can be vary greatly depending on a spring. Some spring water can be safe to drink without any treatment while some may have contaminants. Spring water is generally more pricier than other types of bottled water since it is rich in natural minerals that are healthy. (Spring water not as pure as you may think)
Examples of spring water includes as follows.
Evian – Derived from springs in France, naturally filtered
Icelandic – Spring water from Iceland, naturally filtered
Eternal – Naturally filtered spring water from Shasta-Trinity Alps of California
Volvic – Filtered, treated spring water
Zephyrhills – Filtered, treated spring water
Absopure– Filtered, treated spring water
San Pellegrino – carbonated water derived from natural springs at the foothills of the Italian Alps near Bergamo (Lombardy)
Spring Water I like
Evian: Evian mineral water is from French Alps where a natural filter developed over several ice ages. The water source is protected under a fortress of geological layers built up by glaciers 30,000 years ago, it slowly travels through a natural glacial sand filter. Water is bottled at the source and also samples are taken every day to ensure quality.
Mineral content of bottled water is one of the most important part of water quality. Evian has the highest mineral content, lowest turbidity (how clear water is the lower number the better), and highest conductivity. However, Evian has the highest nitrite and nitrate contamination compared to other brands. Nitrates are present in processed meats, vegetables, drinking water and the human body also produces nitrates. Nitrates and nitrites are essential compounds. Bacteria in the mouth or enzymes in the body can turn nitrates into nitrites. Then nitrites form either nitric oxide which is good for our body or nitrosamines which can be harmful. The primary health hazard from drinking water with nitrate -nitrogen occurs when nitrate is transformed to nitrite in the digestive system. Adults in general can tolerate higher levels of nitrate-nitrogen with little or no documented adverse health effect. However, drinking water with nitrate-nitrogen can be harmful for infants under 6 months of age and older individuals who have genetically impaired enzyme systems according to the Water Resarch Center. Infants, young children, elderly, cancer, transplant, HIV patients should not drink water with Nitrite or Nitrate. Evian also has the highest barium compared to other brands. However, nitrite, nitrate and barium Evian contain are all well under federal maximum contaminant level. Contamination found in Evian water is not health threatening to immune competent people. (Heavy Metals detected In Bottled Spring Water.) (A Guide To Healthy Drinking Water)
*You can get Evian Water in a glass bottle if you want to avoid plastic.
*Evian Water pH level: 7.0
Altesian Well Water
Artesian well water is an underground water that doesn’t rise to the surface naturally so it is collected from a well that taps an aquifer. Water is tapped by artesian pressure in the aquifer pushing water above the level of the aquifer.
Examples of Artesian Water is as follows.
Fiji Water – Derived from springs in Fiji, naturally filtered
Artesian Water I like
Fiji Water: Fiji Water comes from an artesian aquifer in Viti Levu of Fiji. The water slowly filters through layers of volcanic rock, slowly gathering the natural minerals and electrolytes. The water is bottled at the source.
Back in 2006, Fiji water had the highest arsenic level found in their water compared to other brands in the study conducted by the City of Cleveland. However, in the 2015 test of Fiji Water bottled in November 2014, there was no arsenic found above FDA limits. FDA limit is 10micrograms per litre where as arsenic level found in Fiji water was only 1.2 microgram per liter.
*There is no glass bottle version of Fiji Water at the moment.
*Fiji Water pH level: 7.5
Well Water
Well water is acquired by a hole drilled in to the ground to tap into an aquifer.
Voss – Well water from Norway
Evamor – Filtered well water
Perrier – Filtered, Carbonated water derived from wells
Carbonated Water
Carbonated water also known as sparkling water has carbon dioxide added in the water. It may be treated beyond carbonation to purify the water to be safe. Some natural sparkling mineral waters which are sourced naturally from a mineral spring, may be carbonated as well. Some examples include Perrier and San Pellegrino and they contain natural minerals and sulphur in their water. Since carbon dioxide and water react chemically make carbonic acid, there is a concern that sparkling water can damage tooth enamel. However, studies show that only when sugar is added to the water, it can be damaging to enamel, not when you drink plain sparkling water. Therefore, avoid drinking sparkling water that is flavored with sugar.
Carbonated water examples are as follows.
Perrier – Filtered, carbonated water derived from wells
San Pellegrino – carbonated water derived from natural springs at the foothills of the Italian Alps near Bergamo (Lombardy) They have plain sparkling water as well as flavored beverage.
Carbonated Water I like
San Pellegrino: This water is not only packaged in a glass but also contains lots of minerals in the water. San Pellegrino water if from natural springs at San Pellegrino Terme, Bergamo, Italy. I only like their plain carbonate water, not the flavored beverages since sugar can damage tooth enamel.
San Pellegrino pH Level: 7.7
Filtered Water
If the water is not bottled at the spring but is pumped into large tanker trucks to be transported to the bottling facility, water may get contaminated on the way. Therefore, filtration may be needed. When water is filtered, minerals can be retained rather than being killed. Filtered water goes through carbon filters or a micron filters to remove chemicals, parasites, bacteria, etc. Filtration does not remove everything like purifying water does. Therefore, filtered water can still contain dissolved inorganic contaminants and heavy metals. However, it can still retain natural minerals that are healthy. Filtration method includes carbon filtration, absolute 1 micron filtration and ozonation.
Volvic – Filtered, treated spring water
Zephyrhills – Filtered, treated spring water
Evamor – Filtered well water
Absopure– Filtered, treated spring water
Perrier – Filtered, Carbonated water derived from wells
Ozonated Water -Filtered Water
Ozonated water is basically water that has been ozonated. Ozone gas is used to disinfect the water instead of chlorine. It can destroy bacteria, viruses, and odors. Oxygen we breathe in ever day is O2 which has 2 atoms of oxygen. Ozone has 3 atoms of oxygen bound together (O3). Many people believe ozonated water oxygenates and detoxes our body. Some believe ozonated water has healing and therapeutic properties. Some experts say it can stop the spreading of cancer.
On the other hand, some experts say there is no scientific proof that ozonated water is beneficial. Not only that, ozone can cause harm if used and consumed in the wrong way. Cancer Tutor, the cancer treatment resource website includes drinking ozonated water as a supplemental treatment for cancer. However, they say the container the purified or spring water is in, absolutely must be made of glass. They said that ozone will tear apart a plastic container and you will end up drinking plastic. Also, ozone is an unstable form of oxygen and they don’t last very long. It readily decays back to normal oxygen. Cancer Tutor advised to drink ozonated water as soon as it is made because the ozone only lasts about 10 minutes.
Whether ozonated water is beneficial to our health or not, if ozone will tear apart a plastic container and I end up drinking plastics, that is not what I want to drink.
(Drinking Ozonated Water -What Is It and How Is It Made?)
(Ozonated Water: Supplemental Treatment For Cancer)
Here are some examples of ozonated water.
Dasani – Filtered, RO, minerals added and ozonated
Great Value Walmart – Filtered, RO, minerals added and ozonated
Ice Mountain – Demineralized, filtered and ozonated
2. Water Without Natural Minerals – Purified Water
Purified water can come from any water sources such as tap water or spring water. It is purified to remove any chemicals or contaminants. When water is purified, water impurities must be removed to extremely low levels. Filtered water is not same as purified water. Purified water has less impurities than filtered water. While purified water removes all of the impurities in water, it also kills healthy minerals that our body needs. For this reason, I didn’t choose any of the purified water as my choice. Purified water includes water that is refined in one of following ways: distillation, reverse osmosis or deionization.
Distilled water – Purified Water
Distillation is different from other demineralization process such as reverse osmosis or deionization. In the distillation process, water is boiled and condensed steam is collected. Any impurities or contaminants are left behind, however, so do minerals. Since distilled water does not have minerals, we should not drink distilled water for a long period of time. Drinking distilled water can lead to mineral deficiencies. When one drinks distilled water for a few weeks or months, the water grabs and holds onto minerals in our body then passes them out of the body causing mineral deficiencies. (Water For Health And Longevity)
Examples of distilled water includes following.
Deer Park – Derived from springs and distilled city water
Poland Springs – Derived from springs and distilled water
Function – Distilled with minerals added
Smart water – Filtered, distilled and remineralized
Arrowhead – Derived from springs and distilled city water
Reverse Osmosis Water – Purified Water
Reverse Osmosis is a commonly used way of purifying water. According to Dr.Lawrence Wilson from L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc., reverse osmosis makes an extremely mineral-deficient water. He warned that drinking mineral-deficient water such as distilled, reverse osmosis or demineralized water for a few months will bring minerals out of the body. Therefore, many bottled water that used any of purifying method such as reverse osmosis, distillation or demineralization is not good for your heath. (Reverse Osmosis Water – A Poor Product)
(Differences Between Drinking Water And Distilled Water)
Examples of reverse osmosis (RO) water are as follows.
Dasani – Filtered, RO, minerals added and ozonated
Great Value Walmart – Filtered, RO, minerals added and ozonated
Essentia – RO filtered, minerals added, ionized water
Deionized Water – Purified Water
Deionizing water uses ion exchange resins to remove ionized salts from the water. Often, a term, demineralization is used interchangeably with deionization. However, deionizing water removes ionized salts and demineralization removes minerals from water. Deionized water still lacks minerals that our body needs. Therefore, long term drinking of deionized water can lead to organ damage even if minerals are coming from one’s diet. (Is It Safe To Drink Deionized Water?)
Demineralized Water
Demineralized water goes through various filtration and chemical treatment to remove minerals and impurities. It is obtained through reverse osmosis, distillation or deionization of the water. This type of water is often used at lab when dissolved minerals can alter results. Often, in order to get the final product with certain quality, the water will undergo several stages such as distillation, filtration, reverse osmosis. According to World Health Organization (WHO), drinking demineralized or low mineral water has a negative health effects on us. According to their report, drinking demineralized or low mineral water not only results low intake of essential minerals our body needs such as calcium, magnesium and essential elements but also causes loss of essential minerals and elements in prepared food. It also possibly increases dietary intake of toxic metals. In addition, it has direct effect on the intestinal mucous membrane metabolism and mineral homeostasis or other body functions.
(Health Risks From Drinking Demineralized Water)
(Difference Between Purified Water and Demineralized Water)
(Health Risks From Drinking Demineralized Water)
Here are some examples of demineralized water.
Vitamin Water – Demineralized with minerals and flavors added
Propel Zero- Gatorade – Demineralized with minerals and flavours added
Ice Mountain – Demineralized, filtered and ozonated
Gerber Pure Water – Demineralized with minerals added
Final Thoughts
Spring water has lots of healthy minerals that are good for our health, however, they can get contaminated and contain heavy metals, viruses, bacterias since the water is not purified or treated. Water from some springs are safe without treatment, however, we, the consumers won’t know that for sure unless we see the test results of water especially after bottling process has been done. Purified water, on the other hand, has very low impurities and the water is very safe to drink. However, purified water filtering and purifying process such as reverses osmosis, distillation, deionization kill healthy minerals water contains. When we drink demineralized or low mineral water for some time, water will leach minerals from our body. In addition, almost all bottled water has microplastics in water which we end up ingesting while drinking water. On top of that, almost all bottled water is packaged in plastic bottles which can leach harmful chemicals into the water. There are just too many uncertainties involved with bottled water that I can not conclude bottled water in general is absolutely safe. However, I would still liked to continue drinking bottled water for now until I find a better solution. Therefore, between all of these bottled water, I choose natural spring water such as Evian water, Fiji water, Icelandic and carbonated water such as San Pellegrino as a bottled water choice for me and my family. I will not just choose one brand but I will rotate between these four brands.
PLEASE SHARE THIS POST WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR LEAVE ME A COMMENT! 🙂
If you want to find out how water can be toxic, please read my previous post, Safe Bottled Water Guides: How Bottled Water Can Be Toxic.
Dear Isabelle,
What a great info!
Thank you so much for sharing your research results!
I have been researching myself and drinking Fiji water for years but from now on I will rotate those 4 kinds of brand as you recommend.
Thank you! 🙂
I need to purchase water with no calcium. I have vascular calcifications. What do u recommend? Thank u so much!
Robin
Hi Robin,
Regular intake of low-mineral content water (low mineral such as calcium or magnesium) or demineralized water (free of dissolved minerals) may come with health risks. You may want to discuss with your doctor if low mineral content water or demineraralized water is right for you.
Dear Isabelle,
Very interesting information. In 2003 while attending a friend’s Sunday afternoon gathering, I met a Columbia University chemistry professor, who mentioned that some of the chemicals in bottled water can be neutralized by pouring the water into a glass and then sprinkling a small bit of vitamin C powder into in. I carry a small bottle of vitamin C powder to work with me and use it when I drink water. I always sprinkle a bit into a glass of water before drinking it.
Hi Bill,
That is interesting! It seems like vitamin c can neutralize chlorine and chloramine in water. Some brand bottled water can contain chloride or fluoride. Although vitamin C won’t neutralize other chemicals such as fluoride or heavy metals, it does neutralize chlorine and chloramine which are toxic. Thanks for sharing!
Say, you got a nice blog article.Much thanks again. Cool.
Thank you!
I came across your article while trying to discover what brand of bottled water has the least amount of arsenic in it? If you know will you please share? Great and informative article!
Sorry, I must have missed your comment.
If you are still interested, here is my answer.
According to consumer reports, these bottled water has non-detectable or below 3 parts per billion of arsenic in their bottled water.
Evian for example does not contain any arsenic. Hope this helps!
Aquafina
Arrowhead
Dasani
Deer Park
Essentia
Evian
Fiji
Glaceau Smart Water
Ice Mountain
Kirkland (Costco)
Life WTR
Market Pantry (Target)
Nestlé Pure Life
Niagara
Poland Spring
Propel
Great information, I’ve been drinking Ozarka for the past 3 years. I will follow you advice of rotating water companies. Cute baby!
Thank you! 🙂
Wow. Impressive. Thank you!
Thank you! 🙂
I’ve been thinking of rotating water I already do it with food every 4 days this is extremely helpful I’m so glad I saw your research it will save me a lot of investigating thankyou for sharing this valuable information with everyone!
Thank you!
Great article thank you for all your hard work!
Thank you!
Very good information for our next generation
Thanks for helping
Thank you! 🙂
I really enjoy eternal water but what are your thoughts on it?
Hi Mark, I like eternal water. It is naturally filtered and nothing is added or removed so it has natural electrolytes and minerals.
You and your hard word and generosity to provide people with this information is INVALUABLE , extremely useful; indispensable
“You are an invaluable member of the world”
Thank you! 🙂
Interesting and informative article. Thank you
Thank you, Michelle! 🙂
I ONLY WANT TO KNOW—WHICH BRAND OF BOTTLED WATER HAS THE LEAST PROBLEMS, WHICH BRAND SHOULD I BUY.
Hi Barbara,
I like Evian water, Fiji water, Icelandic and San Pellegrino as I have mentioned in my post. I also like Eternal water. What I do is I rotate between these water rather than buying one brand. Hope this helps!
Hi do you know which brand uses HDPE 2 plastic bottle? It supposedly is the best that doesn’t leach chemicals. Thanks.
Hi Giselle,
I couldn’t find which brand uses HDPE 2 plastic bottle. Most plastic bottles used for soft drinks and water are made from polyethylene terephthalate (Pet). If anyone knows the brand, please feel free to share!
Oh np. My one ‘slight’ reservation is that the counter top filters pitcher is in triton plastic lol I guess nothing is perfect. It supposedly is the one type of plastic that has no bpa, or estrogen agents. With that said would you say the benefits of clean water (with minerals) outweigh the “maybe”, possible minute effects.
It looks like Clearly Filtered Triple Stage Kitchen Faucet Filtration System is something to consider. Their kitchen faucet water filtration system is a non-permanent installation and doesn’t require a plumber, tools or drilling. I didn’t want to use a filtered system since I thought installation would not be simple. This system filters harmful chemicals, heavy metals, and contaminants found in your water without removing natural minerals and nutrients as you mentioned. I would say it is a personal choice if you want to use a filtered system. Nothing is perfect and we can only try to minimize harmful chemicals etc. I would have to look into further regarding the materials. Thanks for sharing!
Ok thanks. The counter top model is far cheaper, and economical for most, which is I why I specifically mentioned it. I’m no fan of plastic and try to limit it where can but I am curious if you thought the tritan plastic the pitcher issues would be ok to use in this instance. There is so many mixed reviews from different experts on plastic itself that it’s difficult to know if ultimately the benefits in certain cases exceed the low if not non-existent issue. With that said, I do like your strategies when on the go. But something budget friendly at home on the countertop would be nice as well.
Hi Giselle,
As you have mentioned, there are mixed views about tritan. Some say estrogenic activity can be found with tritan even without BPA. However, tritan company (Eastman) argued which tests should be used to establish whether a product had estrogenic activity and won the trial at court. Personally, I am not certain that tritan has no estrogenic activity if there is suspicion that there can be. I think it is a personal choice about the material. With that said, estrogenic activity probably happens more in certain situations. If you are simply using the pitcher to filter water and drink it without leaving it in the pitcher for too long, I feel it probably is okay. (also water is not heated) Since studies have found almost all bottled water have microplastics in the water, Clearly Filtered kitchen faucet filter and pitcher may be good alternatives to plastic water bottles. A Clearly Filtered Water Filter Pitcher also filters a lot more toxins than a conventional Brita pitcher. If I were looking for a water filer pitcher, I would go with Clearly Filtered Water Filter Pitcher.
Also another thing to look at is clearly filtered countertop filter. It gets rid of practically everything (including fluoride) but not the minerals. Problem solved.
#2 HDPE plastic does not leach chemicals when exposed to heat like 1 (PET) can.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Is carbonation good for you? I thought it also had negative effects.
Hi Sheila, there are some concerns with carbonated water. However, natural sparkling mineral water such as Perrier is different from carbonated water that is carbonated and minerals added.
Hi . Which glass bottle water is the safest to drink? I like to buy big jugs of water but I really don’t like plastic. Would you say for example evian water is better than any glass bottled water? Thanks
Hi Mmgv,
I like Eska Water. The source of this water is from the spring in Saint-Mathieu-d’Harricana, Quebec,Canada. There is no chemical processing of water prior to being bottled. At the Saint-Mathieu-Lac-Berry esker, the water is naturally filtered through the sand and rocks. They use glass bottles for 355 ml and 750 ml. I selected Evian since I liked what it offered the most (mineral contents, etc. except for packaging).
Not sure if my last message got through. But I’m curious if the clearly filtered (countertop filter) would be good to use with a glass pitcher? I see this filter has actual lab reports AND leaves the minerals in! Not to mention economical for those on a budget. Like everyone I try to avoid plastic where I can. But the water would only touch the top reservoir momentarily (maybe a few minutes or so) as it gets poured and moves through the filter. So I don’t know how I can get around that part, but either way, I’m not sure if that’s a big deal. I have researched far and wide and no other filter is a good as clearly filtered with a glass or stainless pitcher. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks guys!
Hi Claudia,
Actually someone else mentioned about Clearly Filtered with a glass pitcher. Both of Clearly Filtered Kitchen Faucet Filteration System and Clearly Filtered Pitcher looks a lot better than many filter system or pitchers available. I haven’t looked into studies that indicate what temperature, time and conditions results estrogenic activity in plastics. There is also mixed view about Tritan if it has estrogenic activity or not so I can not be sure at this time. I may need to do more research on this. However, since water is not heated or stored for long duration and all bottled water have microplastics in the water, Clearly Filtered kitchen faucet filter and pitcher may be good alternatives to plastic water bottles.
Fantastic article, this really helps. My wife is having a terrible reaction to water from the faucet and some bottled waters so I needed something to clear up the mystery. Thank you so much for making this article.
Thank you.
Thankyou!!!
Gary Null has a filtration system that I’m interested in.
Have done any research on his?
Hi Deborah,
Sorry for late reply. I must have missed your message.
What is the filtration system called?
How about Crystal Geyser bottled water, is it good?
Hi Delia,
What state do you live in? Crystal Geyser has 7 different sources depending on your location.
Hello Giselle,
Thanks for the great article. Our family follows a similar process rotating between Evian, Fiji (plastic bottles) and Mountain Spring in glass bottles. We have 2 questions for you. First, our research showed that Mountain Spring was one of the best waters. We liked the glass, the good mineral content and we were under the impression that it was low in arsenic. You did not recommend that brand, what did your research show about that brand that we can learn from?
Second question. We too realize that our solution is not perfect but the best we have for now. The one solution we thought might be better was to buy a high quality home distilling machine and then add our own high quality organic minerals. We do realize this would be much more work, but effort aside, we wanted your thoughts on whether you thought of this solution from a “water quality” perspective
Hi Richard,
I checked out water quality of Mountain Valley Spring water and the quality is good. I didn’t leave out Mountain Vally Spring Water because there was something wrong. After research, my choice came to last four choices but if you have included Mountain Vally Spring in your rotation of waters, that is perfectly fine. I think Mountain Spring Water is great especially because their water is stored in glass.
For your second question, I am not sure how the water quality will be like when you use a home distilling machine and add high quality organic mineral. I am assuming it will depend on the type of distilling machine you purchase and minerals you use. However, I personally do not like the idea since the process is not natural. I prefer natural spring water that have minerals coming naturally from the source. Hope this helps!
Wonderful article!! My family tried the Mountain Valley Spring water and found that we were all so thirsty after drinking it. Wondering if the Ozone that is added to it might cause this dehydrated feeling? Still trying to find the healthiest water for my family. Just last week, the local spring that I’ve been collecting water from for SO many years was taken down by our county. We’re all SO devastated about this. Panicking about where we’ll get our clean water from now!
Additionally, I’ve read that mineral water has high levels of uranium which can be dangerous to one’s health. Have you found this to be true?
Thank you SO much for all that you do!
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne,
Mountain Valley Spring Water is filtered and ozone is added. My concern of ozonated water comes if the water is stored in a plastic material since it can damaege a plastic container and we may end up drinking plastic. Mountain Valley Spring Water is stored in a glass material so I don’t think there is a concern. I haven’t found any research stating ozonated water makes you dehydrated.
Exposure to uranium in drinking water for a short period of time may not cause negative health issues. However, if you drink and cook in water that contains High levels of uranium for a long period of time on a regular basis, it could have some health risks. According to the Government of Canada, levels of uranium in natural water sources depend on the rock formations and human activity in the area. The allowable level established by FDA (U.S.Food and Drug Administration) for uranium in bottled water is 30 micrograms per liter of water. (0.03 milligram per liter) Fiji water which is a spring water does not contain uranium in their water quality report. Evian water which is another spring water contains 0.002 mg/L of uranium in their water quality report. The uranium amount detected was none or at a very low level. I feel the uranium amount depends on the water source. Therefore, you may want to check the water quality report of a water brand of your choice if you are interested in a certain brand. I like Fiji, Evian, Icelandic, Mountain Valley Spring. If you tried Mountain Valley Spring water, you can try others and see if you and your family like them. It may be good to pick a couple of brands and rotate between them. Hope this helps!
Hi, I’m curious if you have a favorite pitcher water purifier. I loved you article Nd your suggestions, but I am looking for an affordable water for my family. As much as I would love to buy one of your recommended bottled waters, I feel this would become too expensive for the amount of water my family drinks.
I would really appreciate your advice.
Many thanks!
Elli
Hi Elli,
If you are looking for a water filter pitcher, here are some options.
Clearly Filtered Water Filter Pitcher
Epic Pure Water Filter Pitcher
The pitchers are made of plastic. Therefore, it would probably be the best not to leave or store water in the pitcher for a long period of time if you could. Hope this helps!
What is your take on reusable bpa free bottle and those water store to refill them?
Hi Virgilio,
Unfortunately, most bottled water comes in a plastic material including a water jug for most water dispensers. Storing water in a reusable BPA free bottle may be okay temporarily. However, storing water in plastic may not be ideal whether the plastic is BPA free or not, whether water is stored in a water bottle or a jug. If I have a reusable bottle, I would avoid storing them in warm temperature and for a long period of time. Hope this helps!
Thank you for the info but my second question was not addressed. It was how safe or healthy are the water shop or store that dispense water for 25 cents a gallon to your container? Are thise stores regulated?
Hi Virgillio,
I have looked up some company that dispense water for 25 cents to 35 cents a gallon to your container. It seems that they usually use public water and the water goes through a filtration process to purify it before going through a reverse osmosis process. It may depend on the source of the water and the purifying process but after filtration and a reverse osmosis process, the water may be deficient in minerals. Personally, I would not choose water that goes through a reverse osmosis. You may want to ask the company how their water gets purified. Hope this helps.
Thank you for the information and it did clear up the issues with such stores.
Thank you!
Thank you for your info on RO systems. I had no idea that it took out good minerals. I have well water in northwestern Michigan and a Kinetico soft water system right now. I have noticed positive changes in my skin after the installation. We have very hard water with a lot of tannens and very possibly have PFAS contamination. We only drink the water when making coffee or using to cook with and drink purified water out of plastic bottles.
Does the soft water system remove the good minerals?
Hi Hans,
Sorry for a late reply. Water softening process removes calcium and magnesium and exchange them to sodium. Therefore, although in very small amount, it may add sodium into your body. If you are not drinking soft water excessively, it may not be a problem. However, if you have health concerns related to sodium, you may want to check with your doctor first.
Also, a WHO report says the following,
For about 50 years, epidemiological studies in many countries all over the world have reported that soft water (i.e., water low in calcium and magnesium) and water low in magnesium is associated with increased morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to hard water and water high in magnesium. and lists some other risks.
However, there are also some articles saying calcium and magnesium-rich diet can provide calcium and magnesium your body needs so drinking soft water may not be a concern. Again, I would consult with a doctor if there is any health concern and also do more research.
Hope this helps!
If we buy plastic bottle but we use a filer like BRITA, it should be ok or it s still better to buy bottled water ? thank you
Hi Olivier,
I still like buying bottled water because some waters have more minerals than the tap water. I feel that Brita filter doesn’t necessarily take out all the toxins in the water. Also, a study in Germany found that bacterial counts increased in the filtered water than tap water.
I want to filter water from plastic bottoles (like spring hhills) with Brita filter not filter the tap water with Brita filter, so is that healthy ? thank you
Hi Olivier,
That would depend on the brand or type of bottled water you are using. Depending on the bottled water, it would go through different type of purification or filtering process (as I explained in this post) and have different type and amount of minerals present. Most bottled water is filtered or purified already (whether it is done naturally or not) when you buy it. Some bottled water will contain more minerals than other bottled water so I would pick a bottled water brand that I feel comfortable with. As far as microplastics in water, the Brita’s website doesn’t mention their filter works on filtering microplatics so I am not sure if a Brita filter works on removing microplastics. However, one company called Consumer lab did the testing and they said that one water filter removed all detectable microplastic particles, while two others reduced particles by 80% and 36%. However, one pitcher increased the number of microplastic particles per liter of water to 437.4 particles which is a 1,206% increase. Therefore, you may want to check with the company first. I have inquired to Brita to see if their filter can filter microplastics. Once I hear from them, I will get back to you. Hope this helps!
Are sparkling waters in aluminum cans safe from PFSA”s? Example: La Croix sparkling water coconut naturally essenced. I cannot find any info online about this.
Hi Judy,
La Croix sparkling water doesn’t use BPA linings in their cans since 2019. So that is a good news since can products can contain BPA linings. However, it seems that La Croix sparkling water may contain PFSA. One study tested 40 water brands and found that sparkling water was more likely to include higher levels of the chemicals than non sparkling water. LaCroix was one of the brands that contained PFAS. (You can see the article by CBS News here.). The amount may be minimal, however, PFSA is a harmful chemical. Hope this helps!
Hello Isabelle, I am college student and have a very rough budget, what would you recommend for water overall? I’m looking towards spring bottled water or possibly a filter. My current brand right now is crystal geyser. Would it be beneficial to rotate brands as well?
Hi Enrique,
Crystal Geyser bottle their spring water at seven different spring water locations across the country. Once you identify the location you live in, you can select and read the report about the water as below.
For the CG Roxane Source near the Sierra Nevada Mountains at Olancha, California, click here: OLANCHA
For the CGR Source near Mt. Shasta, at Weed, California, click here: MT. SHASTA
For the CGR Source near the Mountains of Tennessee at Benton, Tennessee, click here: BENTON
For the CG Roxane Source near the Blue Ridge Mountains at Salem, South Carolina, click here: SALEM
For the CG Roxane Source near the Ouachita Mountain Range at Norman, Arkansas, click here: NORMAN
For the CG Roxane Source near the Ossipee Mountains at Moultonborough, New Hampshire, click here: MOULTONBOROUGH
For the CG Roxane Source near Adirondack Park in Ephratah, New York, click here: JOHNSTOWN
Depending on where your water was sourced, you will see different levels of minerals such as calcium or magnesium and compounds such as fluoride or arsenic. For water sourced from the State of California, you will also see some statements disclosed about their water which are required under California law.
Hope this helps!
Dear Isabelle,
It’s very lovely that you wrote this article which reveals many facts and information which could be useful for many consumers to select which water they could choose from different brands.
I just wondered if there is any brand which does not have Chloride and Fluroide. In some research these chemicals will cause some health issues, in addition to microplastics.
What do you think of the pure spring water which has minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, nitrates, sulphase) but it would be free from Chloride and Fluroide and all it comes in glass bottle. Do you know if there is any brand who does this.
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Hi Himanshu,
Pure spring water with no chloride and fluoride packaged in a glass bottle would be great. However, I couldn’t really find pure spring water that has no chloride and fluoride at the same time. Either the bottled water has one of the substances either chloride or fluoride (at a very low level) or not packaged in glass. There is one pure spring water company in Canada called Eska Water. Eska water is sourced from an underground river which was born over 9,000 years ago when a glacier melted and transformed into an underground river called an esker. Their water is naturally filtered and their water testing report shows that their water has no chloride and fluoride. You can also get their water in glass bottle. Hope this helps!
Hello
Icelandic has 0.00 fluoride according to the water test (you can find it on their website) and it comes on glass bottle as well.
I got Evian on a plastic bottle (they also sell glass) here in Europe and i was surprised to see that in the label says that is has 0.05 fluoride. So im confused because i thought that i didnt have.
I checked the evian U.S. website and in the water report it says Fluoride Not Detected. So im even more confused now….
What are your thoughts about it?
Hi Edmund,
I am not sure why the label says there is fluoride but the testing result states there is no fluoride.
You can also read this article about Evian water listing 0.1 ppm of fluoride in the label but tested 0.0ppm when the person actually tested the water.
Evian website also lists water quality reports saying fluoride is not detected. I think it is a good thing that no fluoride is detected. However, I am not sure why the label would say different.
I have inquired at the company. Once I hear from them, I will get back to you.
Thanks a lot. Ill be waiting 🙂
Thank you for all your research into this. It’s really confusing to choose a bottled water. I have also found this study online that is quite alarming too. https://www.newbeauty.com/bottled-water-microplastic-contamination/ I think this should also factor into our water choices, if in fact we are also considering microplastics in bottled water. So even if we think we have found the perfect water, they often have high concentrations of microplastics. I’d love to know which waters come in healthy, non leaching plastic bottles. Or is that just impossible?
Hi Kat,
Unfortunately, researchers found 93% of all bottles tested had microplastics. 11 brands from different parts of the world were tested (total of 259 bottles in 19 locations in 9 countries). That tells me that it is possible to find microplastics in most plastic bottled water. I can not say there is healthy, non leaching plastic bottles. If you want to avoid plastic, I think that an alternative would be to choose water packaged in non-plastic such as glass. Hope this helps!
Can you use distilled water, and add Himalayan pink salt and lemon juice to make it alkaline, and if so how much Himalayan pink salt and lemon should I use , or baking soda. Thank you.
Hi Deborah,
I am not an expert in making water with himalayan pink salt and lemon. It seems that lemons are alkaline-forming and Himalayan salt helps to alkalize the body according the articles below. They both also talk about how to make water with Himalayan-salt and a lemon.
https://www.arbor-health.com/blog/lemon-salt-water
https://caloriebee.com/nutrition/Benefits-of-Starting-Your-Day-With-Lemon-Water-and-Himalayan-Salt
Hope this helps!
This is deborah moore again, I forgot to say how much Himalayan pink salt and lemon juice for one gallon of distilled water
Hi Deborah,
I am not an expert in making water with himalayan pink salt and lemon. It seems that lemons are alkaline-forming and Himalayan salt helps to alkalize the body according the articles below. They both also talk about how to make water with Himalayan-salt and lemon.
https://www.arbor-health.com/blog/lemon-salt-water
https://caloriebee.com/nutrition/Benefits-of-Starting-Your-Day-With-Lemon-Water-and-Himalayan-Salt
Hope this helps!
I have had trouble most of my life drinking any kind of water, it just tastes awful. For many years I could only drink Fiji water.Then it started tasting bad. Since then I can only drink Evian Water which still tastes good thankfully.Occasionally it doesn’t taste very good but when I add a pinch of Himalayan salt it tastes good again. Wish it weren’t so expensive, but at least I can drink it. Thanks for all the research you have shared.
Thank you!
Hello Isabelle. Can you please advise on the efficacy of Magnesium Oxide beads (such as Prill Beads in the USA and Vitel water here in Australia. I’m searching madly for the purest drinking water I can find and have just discovered Vitel water beads being sold here, apparently with a lot of success. However I’ve also read that magnesium oxide was never intended to purify water and especially not to the extent claimed on Vitel’s website. Will appreciate your help. Thank you.
Hi Diane,
I couldn’t find any research data other than water companies or stores advertising the benefits of magnesium oxides beads (prill beads).
It is possible that data of efficacy is out there and maybe I am not finding it easily. Anyways, I couldn’t find one so far. Therefore, I can not tell you if it really works or not without looking at actual data or test results. Sorry about that.