If you think buying bottled water is a healthy decision, maybe it's time to think again. This is because traditional water bottling methods require extreme filtration and ozonation of the water prior to bottling to ensure a degree of sanitation and disinfection. Of course, this water may be safer to drink than regular tap water, but what impact does it have on your health?
In this article, I'll examine the methods major water companies use to convert tap water or natural water into bottled water and the impact this highly processed water can have on your health. Next, we'll look in a little more detail at which bottled water products are healthier to drink, including those that are more alkaline and therefore better for you.
What conventional bottling does to your water
Both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) have found through lab tests that bottled water is worse than tap water. This may surprise you, as the marketing of most branded water companies suggests that the water you get from bottles is much better for safety and health than what comes from the tap. While these bottles may provide a degree of safety against certain waterborne pathogens (which is highly unlikely with tap water), they completely compromise the quality of the water.
Most bottled water manufacturers use extreme filtration methods to ensure standardization of their products. These methods include ion exchange, reverse osmosis, distillation and deionization. Some companies may use a combination of these methods, or all of them, to cover their business loss and avoid consumer liability.
The result of extreme filtration is "dead water"

No matter where the water originally comes from, be it a deep well, spring, river, lake or municipal water supply, the end product is always the same. It is water that has been completely denatured and molecularly modified from its source. "Dead water" does not contain all the minerals normally found in natural water. This is said for two reasons.
First, this water has no life force. It literally soaked up all the health-promoting minerals and nutrients that our planet's organisms (including humans) depend on. Second, organisms that just drink this highly filtered water would eventually die, as it can contribute to tissue and cell death in the body.
The result is water that can actually harm – not cure – your health. Drinking deionized bottled water actually contributes to nutrient depletion in the body as dead water absorbs minerals from your bones, joints and muscles. A kind of vacuum - the water absorbs the minerals it lost during the filtering process and returns to its natural state.
Bottled water may contain harmful ingredients
There are many other reasons to avoid most water bottles. How about the fact that about a quarter of all bottled water is just refined tap water, leading to a huge price increase? Companies like Aquafina and Dasani just take tap water, treat it with UV light to kill any bugs that probably aren't there, bottle it, and make a huge profit.
Not only that, manystudies showthat bottled water can contain phthalates, mold, germs, benzene, and even harmful heavy metals like arsenic. This adverse health effect is most evident in babies who are fed bottled water. Research shows that a lack of sodium and other minerals in this water can lead to this hyponatremic crises.
Most bottled water is very acidic.

At The Alternative Daily, we've written several articles about how the modern American diet contains too many acidic foods and drinks. InThis article, we talk about how alkaline blood recessionIt can occur in people who eat a lot of acid-forming foods, such as eggs, dairy, meat, white flour, sugar, coffee, and soda. Basically a traditional western diet. These foods throw our internal pH levels out of balance, depleting our alkaline reserves and increasing our risk of disease and infection. Since most Americans eat a lot of acidic foods, any food that balances this imbalance can produce a tangible improvement in our health.
Most bottled water falls on the other end of the health spectrum. to 2015learnCreated by the American Dental Hygienists Association, it was intended to determine the pH of popular brands of bottled water, tap water, and several other common beverages. After extensive laboratory testing, the researchers determined that "the pH levels of the drinks and mineral waters tested were predominantly acidic." Of the 12 bottled water brands tested, 10 had a pH of less than 7 and therefore were considered acidic. Only two of those 12 were alkaline.
The implications of this study go far beyond tooth decay and erosion caused by drinking acidic water. Initially, pH levels determined by independent testing were often significantly lower (ie more acidic) than indicated on the bottle label. So every bottle of acidic water you drink harms your health and contributes to acidosis and its related complications.
So if you can't trust the labels on these water bottles, how do you know which brands are good for you?
Use independent tests to determine water alkalinity
One of the easiest ways to tell which brands of bottled water are alkaline is to do your own pH test at home. A pH kit is inexpensive and relatively accurate when used correctly.
But who has time to run their own tests? The next best option is to use surveys done by other people. To give you a hint of which brandsit couldto be better than others, I usedThis article. Your results are likely to have some degree of inaccuracy, but are unlikely to be unbiased. It gives you a good starting point to draw your own informed conclusions. Here is a list of popular bottled water brands and their pH levels:
- Vitaminwasser: 3,4
- Unit zero: 3.5
- Propel Fitness Water: 3,6
- Cinco: 4,0
- Dashani: 4,5
- Function: 5.0
- Perrier: 5,5
- Polish Spring: 5.8
- Function: 6.0
- Eisberg: 6,0
- Cristalgeyser: 6,0
- Wildlife Park: 6.3
- Smart water: 6.5
- Great Value (Walmart): 6.5
- Gerber pure water: 6.5
- Arrowhead: 6.83
- Evian: 7,0
- Volvic: 7,0
- Zephryllida: 7,5
- Absolute value: 7.5
- Fiji: 7,5
- Super Cold: 7.5
- Evamor: 8.0
- Real water: 8.0
- Essence: 9.0
Tap water may be better for your health
Tap water examined by the same independent study also ranged from 5.8 in upstate New York to 9.3 in St. Louis, Missouri. This shows that drinking water straight from the tap can be more beneficial to your health than bottled water. Tap water certainly has a lower risk of developing acidosis than the vast majority of bottled water brands.
To maintain a healthy blood pH of around 7.4, the water we drink should be between 9 and 10. This means that all but one of the bottled water brands in the above test are very acidic. Of course, it is not always possible to buy Real Water when bottled water is needed. Try selecting the watermarks that are further down the list.
For example, if you go to a store and Essentia isn't available but Fiji and Dasani are, it makes more sense to buy Fiji - even if it costs twice as much. Because when you buy Dasani, you're basically just buying acidified tap water.
More Than Just Bottles: How to Make the Most of Your Water
It goes without saying that even if you shop wisely and only choose more alkaline bottled water, you won't be getting the most out of your water. Plastic water bottles contain BPA and other chemicals that disrupt hormones and can negatively affect your health over time.
Furthermore, not all spring or groundwater is potable. Many Source Bottled brands get their water (knowingly or unknowingly) from sources contaminated by industrial waste or agricultural runoff. These toxins are difficult to remove even with extreme filtration methods. This means you could be introducing additional chemicals into your body with each intake.
In an ideal world, every human being would have direct access to a spring or body of water that has been tested and found to be potable. Each person would take regular spring walks. They could fill up their glass bottles for the day (or week) and all would be right with the world. However, for obvious reasons, this isn't exactly a realistic solution.
Install a quality filter at home
The next best thing is drinking tap water. Install a quality filter to remove chlorine.fluorideand other unwanted particles. This filter requires minimal processing to ensure that all of the natural minerals in your water are retained. If your pH shows that the tap water you are drinking is a little more acidic, consider adding some alkaline salts to the water, for exampleHimalayan pink salt. Another alternative is to add a little fresh lemon juice orApple vinegar.
Finally, if you must buy bottled water, choose wisely. Buying a more alkaline brand like Essentia, Real Water, Fiji or even pH neutral Evian is much better for your health than Dasani or VitaminWater. And another tip for all bottled water drinkers: choose glass over plastic!
—Livi Hess
Bottled water is not only potentially harmful to health, but also harmful to the environment. To know moreHere.
FAQs
What water brands are most acidic? ›
- Dasani Purified Water. Dasani tops our list as the most acidic bottled water brand in the market. ...
- Voss Drinking Water. Despite its minimalist look, Voss is not at all basic. ...
- Aquafina. ...
- Deer Park Natural Spring Water. ...
- Ozarka Natural Spring Water.
The danger of more acidic water – when the pH is less than 6.5 – is that it can leach metals from the well and from the pipes that bring you water. These metals include lead, manganese, copper and iron, and they can be toxic in large amounts. So acidic water obviously poses a health risk.
Is bottled water too acidic? ›FACT: most bottled waters are highly acidic as is most delivered 'office cooler' water which is either purified water or Reverse Osmosis water. Remember, our body needs to maintain a pH balance of 6.8 to 7.4.
Which bottled water has the most acid? ›Overall, flavoured waters were the most acidic (mean pH=3.30), followed by sparkling waters (mean pH=3.63), spring waters (mean pH=5.68), and artesian waters (mean pH=6.59). In comparison, mineral waters (mean pH=7.77) and alkaline waters (mean pH=9.74) were not acidic.
What brand of bottled water is not acidic? ›The added chemicals and filtration systems used ultimately affect how the water tastes and its final pH level. The study concluded that four (yes, only four) bottled water brands have a pH and fluoride level completely safe for your teeth: Fiji, “Just Water,” Deer Park Natural Spring Water, and Evamor.
What's the best water to drink? ›Mineral, structured, and pure spring water are some of the healthiest water you can drink because they're clean and contain all the essential minerals your body needs. Filtered water removes contaminants but might also remove essential minerals.
What is an example of acidic water? ›Acidic water is any water with a pH value of 6.5 or less. pH is measured on a scale between 1 and 14, with 7 representing the neutral value. Acid water occurs naturally, as rain falls to earth soft and slightly acidic.
Is tap water Acidic? ›If water is below 7 on the pH scale, it's "acidic." If it's higher than 7, it's "alkaline." EPA guidelines state that the pH of tap water should be between 6.5 and 8.5. Still, tap water in the U.S. tends to fall below that -- in the 4.3 to 5.3 range -- depending on where you live.
What to avoid in bottled water? ›Plastic water bottles contain chemicals, and those chemicals can leach into the water. This plastic leachate can have detrimental health effects on consumers. At certain levels of exposure, some of the chemicals in plastic, especially the chemical known as bisphenol A (BPA), have even been implicated as carcinogens.
Is Aquafina bottled water acidic? ›When tested for its pH level, Aquafina came up acidic. This means that although you can drink it, it's not preferable. A better option is a water that's neutral or basic.
Is purified water acidic? ›
Because the alkaline minerals are removed during filtration, it is possible that purified drinking water will have a lower pH than naturally occurring spring or well water (depending on the nature of the source).
What is the least toxic bottled water? ›- My Own Water. ...
- Aquafina Bottled Water. ...
- LIFEWTR Premium Purified Water. ...
- Glaceau SmartWater Water. ...
- Evian Natural Spring Water. ...
- JUST Water. ...
- Water Filters.
Walmart Drinking Water - acidic, 4-pH. Walmart Distilled Water - acidic, 4-pH. Aquafina - acidic, 4.5-pH.
Is tap water more acidic than bottled water? ›Pure water is neutral with a pH level of 7. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends that municipal drinking water suppliers maintain water with pH levels of 6.5 to 8.5. The pH level of tap water varies but is typically 7.5, whereas common bottled waters have pH levels of 6.5 to 7.5.
What is the best water for kidneys? ›Pure, naturally-filtered water is the best thing you can drink for good kidney health. And installing a cost-effective, energy-efficient, and convenient bottled water cooler can be the best way to get it.
What is the cleanest water to drink? ›Again, the healthiest water to drink is water that's free of pathogens and contaminants, yet rich in key minerals. But, if there was one water option to pick, it's likely going to be spring water or clean artesian water—water that still contains healthy mineral content and is free of pathogens.
Which bottled water is tap water? ›Nestle Pure Life obtains its water both from wells and municipal sources, while Niagara Bottling LLC (which produces Kirkland bottled water) uses tap water as well as water from wells and springs.
Is purified water bad for you? ›Purified water is perfectly safe for consumption, as it contains no harmful chemicals, pathogens, and contaminants that could otherwise pose a health risk to you or your household members.
Is spring water better than purified water? ›While spring water has been naturally filtered through underground aquifers, purified water also goes through a strict treatment and filtration process for purity. So both are excellent sources of hydration, but while purified water is classed as 'pure', spring water can be better for you.
What water should you drink a day? ›The Eatwell Guide recommends that people should aim to drink 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.
What is the best kind of water to drink in the morning? ›
Warm Lemon Water + Hearty Breakfast
“My go-to recommendation is to start your day by waking up with a glass of warm lemon water. The pectin from the lemon aids in digestion, helping to make lemon a phenomenal detoxifying food. Water with lemon also helps curb your appetite and boosts satiety.
Yes, distilled water is safe to drink. However, you may find it tastes a little flat. Distillation purifies water in a natural process, similar to the earth's hydrologic cycle. There are no added chemicals or disinfectants in the water that can harm you.
How do you know if water is acidic? ›pH is a measure of how acidic/basic water is. The range goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. pHs of less than 7 indicate acidity, whereas a pH of greater than 7 indicates a base. The pH of water is a very important measurement concerning water quality.
What is acidic water good for? ›Acidic water has disinfecting properties and can be used to clean things in the kitchen like countertops (not granite), sinks, and more! It also can help to prevent food poisoning from e-coli or other forms of bacteria. Acidic water can also be used as a natural bleach that will clean your home chemical free!
Is Lake water acidic or basic? ›Rivers and lakes generally range between 5 (acidic) and 9 (basic) on the pH scale. Whereas ocean water averages closer to 8.2 (slightly basic).
Is distilled water acidic water? ›Distilled water has a neutral pH, which means it is neither acidic nor basic. By using blue and red litmus paper, the neutral nature of distilled water can be confirmed. Since the distilled water is neutral, it won't have any effect on the colour of the litmus paper, whether it is blue or red.
Who should not drink alkaline water? ›Digestion problems –Alkaline water can seriously disrupt nutrient absorption, leading to indigestion and malnutrition. People over 60 years of age are at highest risk and should not drink alkaline water. Doctors refer to digestion problems resulting from the over-consumption of alkaline water as milk-alkali syndrome.
Is it OK to drink my tap water? ›The United States has one of the safest public water supplies in the world. However, if you are concerned about contaminants in your home's water system, contact your state drinking water certification officer to obtain a list of certified laboratories in your state.
Why we should not drink water in plastic bottles? ›Due to the presence of a chemical called phthalates in plastic, it can lead to problems like liver cancer and sperm count reduction (in men). A recent study done by the State University of New York in Fredonia shows that there are excessive levels of microplastics in bottled water, especially in popular brands.
Is it OK to drink bottled water left overnight? ›The water left overnight or for a long period of time in an open glass or container is home to numerous bacterias and is not safe for drinking. You never know how much dust, debris, and other small microscopic particles might have passed into that glass. Water left in a bottle for a long time is not safe to drink.
Is it OK to drink bottled water all the time? ›
All in all, water in plastic bottles should be safe to drink, and no less so than water in metal bottles or any other type of container. If they have contaminants in them, they are likely to be found at tiny concentrations.
What is the least acidic water? ›Pure water has a pH of 7 and is considered “neutral” because it has neither acidic nor basic qualities.
What is the healthiest bottled water brand? ›- Dasani.
- Fiji.
- Essentia.
- LIFEWTR.
- JUST Water.
- Evian.
- Perrier.
- ICE Mountain.
The Bindle Bottle “Sip and Stash” has been recalled after Consumer Reports found potentially danger levels of lead. It's popular on Instagram and was one of Oprah's favorite things, but now the Bindle Bottle is being recalled after Consumer Reports found potentially dangerous levels of lead.
Should I drink alkaline or purified water? ›For most people, alkaline water is not better than plain water. Bottled water sold as alkaline water, which is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, might have nutrients added to it to achieve an alkaline pH. Alkaline water has a higher pH level than that of plain tap water.
Is 100% pure water acidic? ›Pure water is neither acidic nor basic its neutral in nature. So its pH should be 7.
What kind of water is good for acid reflux? ›Alkaline water is considered therapeutic by many people who suffer from reflux disease and is associated with reducing symptoms, such as heartburn. The theory is that it reduces the acidity of the intestinal tract and permanently denatures any pepsin that is present.
Is bottled water no safer than tap water? ›It's important to note that the federal government does not require bottled water to be safer than tap. In fact, just the opposite is true in many cases. Tap water in most big cities must be disinfected, filtered to remove pathogens, and tested for cryptosporidium and giardia viruses. Bottled water does not have to be.
Which plastic bottled water is safe? ›For the record, PET plastic does not contain bisphenol A (BPA). High density polyethylene (HDPE) is another plastic bottled water packaging material that FDA has approved as safe for food contact.
What is the safest water in the world? ›British tap water is one of the cleanest in the world for many of the same reasons as Switzerland and Canada's is. For one thing, the rural northern reaches of England, Scotland and Wales are home to scores of freshwater lakes, or lochs, which are an important source of drinking water for much of the country.
Is Great Value bottled water safe? ›
Great Value Purified Drinking Water has a GreenScore® rating of 100/100. This a great GreenScore® rating when compared to all foods and a normal rating for plain water.
How acidic is great value purified drinking water? ›Water Bottle Brand | Actual pH |
---|---|
Most Dental Office Water (Distilled) | 5.61 |
Dasani | 5.80 |
Great Value Distilled Water | 5.82 |
Great Value Purified Water | 6.20 |
Common brands like Dasani and Aquafina are actually acidic enough to be harmful to your teeth. Look for bottled water with a pH level between 7 and 9. Some of the best brands include Essentia, Evian, and Fiji.
Is there really a difference between bottled water and tap water? ›Bottled water comes from a variety of sources, including many of the same sources as tap water. Sometimes the water you can buy in a bottle is simply public tap water that has been enhanced in some way, such as changing the mineral content. Other sources of bottled water include springs, wells, and surface waters.
Why is tap water better for you than bottled? ›The water that comes out of your faucet is filtered, disinfected and often contains added fluoride to prevent tooth decay. Safety standards are set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and enforced by the town, city or state where you live. So, in general, tap water is good, cheap and safe to drink.
What is the best water for acidic? ›Alkaline water has a higher pH level than that of plain tap water. So proponents say that it can neutralize acid in your bloodstream. Some say that alkaline water can help prevent disease, such as cancer and heart disease.
What is the most acidic water in the world? ›The turquoise lake in the crater of the Kawah Ijen volcano looks serene and inviting. It also happens to be the world's largest acidic lake. The water in the crater lake has a pH less than 0.3 on a scale of 0 to 14 (7 is neutral). For comparison, lemon juice has a pH of 2; battery acid has a pH of 1.
Is tap water too acidic? ›EPA guidelines state that the pH of tap water should be between 6.5 and 8.5. Still, tap water in the U.S. tends to fall below that -- in the 4.3 to 5.3 range -- depending on where you live.
Which water is best to drink? ›Spring wins.
Without a doubt, spring water is the winner. It is considered the best water to drink, providing vital nutrients as it moves through the body. This is, of course, spring water that is bottled at the source and proven to be actual living spring water.
What Is The Healthiest Water To Drink? When sourced and stored safely, spring water is typically the healthiest option. When spring water is tested, and minimally processed, it offers the rich mineral profile that our bodies desperately crave.
What is the least acidic bottled water? ›
The healthiest water based on this pH test are One Water Systems, Arrowhead, Fiji, and Evian. The lowest pH levels based on this test are Aquafina, Dasani, Voss, Smart Water, and Nestle Pure Life. For this test I used OTO Chlorine Test Solution.
Is Nestle Pure Life good water? ›The uncompromised high-quality standards have made Nestlé Pure Life a trusted pure quality water brand for generations for more than 20 years. Our rigorous quality-checking and purification process makes sure every drop meets our high safety standards and tastes great. It's this quality and purity that families trust.
What bottled water is best for kidney disease? ›Choose tap or plain bottled water, mineral water or flavored sparkling water. Specialty waters may be enhanced with sodium, potassium or phosphate additives.
Where in the USA is water the most acidic? ›The most acidic waters ever measured are percolating through an underground mine at Iron Mountain, near the northern California town of Redding.
Which state has the most acidic water? ›According to some reports published in the New York times, the Massachusetts state in the United States of America has the most acidic rain. The pH value of the acid rain is 4.1, which is slightly higher than the pH 3 value of vinegar. The pH value of the normal water is 5.6.
Is ocean water more acidic than tap water? ›The average pH of the surface water in the ocean is 8.1. Ocean water is more basic than drinking water because the presence of other weak acids and their associated bases known as buffers causes the ocean to resist changes in pH. Based on the pH scale, the ocean is considered slightly alkaline.