Which Bottled Water is the Safest to Drink?

Drinking enough water and staying hydrated is one of the most important parts of being healthy, but choosing any brand of bottled water to meet your recommended daily intake of water may not be the most intelligent choice.

This is because many bottled water brands have added fluoride and acidic pH levels that can be incredibly damaging to your teeth.

Before you select bottled water, note that bottled waters are not all created equal.

There are some bottled water companies that provide misleading information about the source of the water and the filtration methods they use. Some bottled water is just tap water in a bottle. So, when choosing a bottled water brand, always read the label to check that you are buying the safest product with transparent information that allows you to track the water’s source.

Bottled Water Sources

Just because the water is in a bottle doesn’t mean that it is contaminant-free, filtered spring water. In fact, there are a few bottled water companies that use municipal water, which is fundamentally tap water. Sometimes it is difficult to determine what the source of bottled water is unless the company has listed it on their label. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) notes that:

Spring water is water collected when it reaches the surface
Well and artesian water come from underground wells
Distilled water is the condensed steam from boiled water

Mineral water is ground water that contains specific mineral levels

Typically, bottled water undergoes a filtration process that eliminates harmful levels of microbes and contaminants. However, the EPA has found that many bottled waters contain at least a small amount of contaminants.

What to Look For in Bottled Water

According to the EPA, some bottled water companies list their membership seals and logos from the IBWA (International Bottled Water Association) or the NSF International. Companies that are members of these organizations have to meet the codes and standards set out and are subject to unannounced inspections and water testing to make sure that they are compliant with the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) standards.

Label Transparency

The EWG (Environmental Working Group) is an organization devoted to the protection of human and environmental health. They have ranked bottled water companies according to how transparent they are about their water sources, treatment methods, and access to their water quality testing reports.

Based on the information provided by the EWG, the highest ranked bottled water companies are those with the most label transparency and those that don’t withhold any information about their sources and treatment. The top three brands for label transparency are:

Nestle Pure Life Purified Water

Penta Ultra-Purified Water
Gerber Pure Purified Water

Taste Preferences

Due to bottled water coming from various different sources and undergoing a variety of purification and filtration processes, the taste of the water varies from one brand to another. Some bottled water has added minerals with enhance the flavor.

While you should always select bottled water based on the transparency on the label and whether it has been certified by NSF International or IBWA, the water still has to taste good in order for you to want to drink it. Try out various bottle water brands that meet the above standards to find one that suits your taste preferences.

Bottled Water vs. Tap Water

Many people believe that bottled water is safer than tap water, but this is not necessarily the case. In fact, the NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) conducted a four-year-long test and review of bottled water and found that over 25% of bottled water was just tap water, some of which had been purified and some that was straight from the tap.

The EWG recommends that you drink filtered tap water instead of bottled water as this is the best way to ensure you are drinking the safest, cleanest drinking water. Naturally, you need to ensure that you use a high-quality charcoal water filter, and that you follow the maintenance instructions. Also, you need to ensure that you change the water filter as recommended.

Know the best water bottle you can use: The Best Water Bottle.

Which Bottled Water is the Safest to Drink?

If you prefer drinking bottled water to filtering your own water, you need to know which brands are the safest to drink and which you should avoid. The safest bottled water brands to drink include: