With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley.

We all understand the importance of hydration, but we can get clean drinking water from the faucet right? In fact, that’s not the case if you don’t have access to any water filtration system for your home right now. The municipal water treatment plants doesn’t remove many contaminants, and some can enter the water as it makes its way to your home. Even if you do have a water treatment system, it can be hard to get a clean drink of water on the go. Bottled water is a multi-billion dollar industry, and yet the quality can be extremely variable. Some bottled waters are comparable to the water that comes from a regular kitchen faucet, and others are much higher in quality.

What is the Attraction of Bottled Water?

Primarily this is a product of convenience. You can carry your water with you and hydrate as you go about your day. But, there are other key benefits that are attractive to health conscious consumers. Bottled water is available in a wide variety of sizes and flavors, and there are a number of different filtration methods to choose from. It’s estimated that Americans drink approximately 13.7 billion gallons of bottled water each year!

Different Size Options

Bottled water can be a handy size for carrying, or you can get a five gallon water cooler to meet your family needs. This would be a great option for your home because you always have access to cool and clean drinking water without overstocking your refrigerator. No matter which option you choose or whether you decide to use both bottled water options, you will have a clean and dependable source of drinking water for your family.

Different Flavor Choices

Many bottled water companies produce flavored waters that can liven up your hydration. Some flavors are more subtle, and if you have a good palette, you may even be able to taste the flavor of different filtration methods. Some added flavors can include chemical flavorings such as aspartame, which many people don’t like. Others may have added sugar that makes them more akin to a bottle of soda and is less healthy. But, if you shop around, you will find some tasty bottled water options that you can drink on a daily basis.

How Safe is Bottled Water?

Health authorities classify bottled water as a consumer food product, and producers must adhere to strict safety standards. A cursory glance at any grocery store shelf will demonstrate that there are a lot of different types of bottled water. So, they are classified in a number of ways to ensure that they are clean and safe to drink. These broad categories of bottled water include spring, mineral, purified, and artesian well. Let’s take a look at each in more detail.

Spring Water

Spring water is sourced from underground, and it flows to the surface naturally. If bottled water is classed as spring water, it must be harvested directly at the spring or collected via a borehole that is tapped into the formation that feeds that spring. If an external force is exerted to harvest the water from a borehole, the water used must have the same properties as the spring water before any treatment occurs. This ensures that no cross contamination can take place and that the spring water composition is maintained.

Mineral Water

Mineral water is also sourced from underground, but it has a higher mineral content when compared to tap or spring water. In order to be classified as mineral water, it must contain 250 parts per million of total dissolved solids. This mineral content cannot be added later when the water is bottled at the plant. These minerals are beneficial for our health; they include calcium, potassium, iron, bicarbonate, magnesium, sodium, and zinc. Mineral water typically undergoes some additional filtration to add or remove carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide or CO2 is used to prevent bacterial growth in the water and limit any oxidation.

Purified Water

This typically includes distilled or reverse osmosis water that originates at the municipal water plant, and it is processed further. Distilled water is boiled, and the collected steam is purified and contaminant free. Reverse osmosis water is also pure because it is forced under pressure through a very fine semi-permeable membrane. Both of these methods are highly effective at removing contaminants, but they can remove other beneficial content such as trace minerals.

Artesian Well Water

This water sourced directly from an aquifer, which is made up of layers of sand, earth, and porous rock. When water passes through layers of this material, it becomes naturally filtered. A tapped aquifer will force the water to the surface under pressure, but sometimes a water company may use a pump to access the water supply.

Bottled Water Quality Standards

Every type of bottled water must have an anti-microbial agent that acts as a disinfectant. This is typically an ozone gas rather than a chlorine based treatment that could impart that “swimming pool” taste and odor that many people find unpalatable. Strict guidelines regarding the cleanliness of the bottling plant, the bottles, and the water must be carefully followed.

Water Bottle Construction

Some high end bottled water products are supplied in glass containers. There have been concerns about the use of plastics in recent years from an environmental perspective. It is true that plastic waste is a major problem in the modern world, but all water bottles can be recycled if they are disposed of responsibly.

In Conclusion

Bottled water is a safe alternative to a water filtration system at home, and some may even prefer it. The initial cost of entry is fairly low in comparison, and you can personalize your bottled water order to suit your needs. The only real drawback may be storage space if you’re drinking large volumes of bottled water at home. But, this can be alleviated with a regular water delivery service because you don’t need to stockpile water bottles from the store.