Drinking water is the most important product on the planet. How could it not be? While people can survive without food for up to two months, dehydration leads to irreversible consequences in just a few days. This is because the human body is approximately 60% water – it’s even present in our bones.
Poor ecology and climate change negatively impact nature, causing the number of pure freshwater sources to decrease each year. It’s no surprise that resourceful entrepreneurs have decided to capitalize on this global catastrophe by turning ordinary water into a major business.
However, not all companies are equally conscientious. While some strive to attract customers with high-quality products, others violate standards to cut production costs and sell as much water of dubious origin as possible. We have compiled a list of the most famous brands with good reputations that deserve trust.
History of bottled water
It’s hard to say who first started selling water in bottles. All we know is that this industry already existed in the 18th century. One of its representatives was the Boston-based company Jackson’s Spa, which offered mineral water as a preventative measure for various diseases.
In the 19th century, some countries popularized bottled tap water that had undergone additional purification. The high demand for it was because urban water supply systems were not equipped with good filters at the time, which periodically led to outbreaks of intestinal infections.
However, in the 20th century, people learned how to chlorinate tap water, making it safe. As a result, the need to buy plain bottled water, which was essentially identical to tap water, disappeared. Therefore, only products obtained from therapeutic mineral sources remained on the market. The trend towards a healthy lifestyle contributed to the development of the business.
An analysis of the bottled water market shows that the demand for this type of product increases by 10% annually. Experts from Beverage Marketing Corporation went even further and calculated that around 460 billion liters of packaged drinking water are sold worldwide every year. China is the most active purchaser (almost 80 billion liters), followed by the United States (approximately 45 billion liters).
In many developed countries, tap water is of equal quality to bottled water, but people still prefer the latter. They are willing to pay for it despite the huge price difference. In some places, this product is even more expensive than milk or gasoline. But the main problem with bottled water is plastic. It was found that in 2016, US companies produced bottles from 2 million tons of plastic, requiring at least 64 million barrels of oil.
Types of bottled water
Both carbonated and non-carbonated bottled waters can be divided into two main categories.
Water from natural mineral sources
This water has a unique salt composition and is prescribed by a doctor after confirming a diagnosis. Uncontrolled consumption of such therapeutic drinking products can be harmful to health, especially in the presence of contraindications. Mineral waters are divided into several groups:
- chloride – stimulates the secretion of gastric juice, increases its acidity, and activates the pancreas;
- bicarbonate – reduces the acidity of the stomach;
- sulfate – speeds up peristalsis and has a choleretic effect;
- low-mineralized (also known as table water) – suitable for everyday consumption.
Artesian water is also considered a mineral. It is named after the artesian wells used to extract it.
Processed tap water
Some manufacturers use regular tap water, subjecting it to additional purification. Compared to mineral water, it contains much fewer dissolved salts and iron, so deep filtration does not require significant costs. This water can be:
- fresh – containing up to 0.5 parts per thousand salts (it has no contraindications);
- artificially mineralized – mixed with various salt solutions to mimic natural mineral water.
TOP bottled water brands
The drinking water market is divided among large multinational corporations. American companies The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo, Inc. have taken the lead. The first manufacturer owns brands such as Valpre, Dasani, BonAqua, and Glaceau Smartwater. The second – Aqua Minerale and Aquafina.
The French company Danone Group also has bottled water. It is sold under various brand names, the most famous of which are Volvic and Evian. The Swiss corporation Nestlé S.A. owns a whole range of specialized brands: Poland Spring, Deer Park, Panna, Contrex, Vittel, San Pellegrino, and Perrier.
There are many bottled water manufacturers with high reputations in the market. However, our list includes only the 13 most popular brands, distinguished by something unusual, such as history or unique freshwater sources. They are listed in random order. Most of them sell both carbonated and non-carbonated water.
Acqua Panna
Acqua Panna is an Italian brand, but it belongs to the Swiss company Nestlé. It sells artesian water, which is underground mineral water extracted from an artesian well. The source is located in a nature reserve in the mountainous part of Tuscany – where the high hills are densely covered with forest.
Untouched and environmentally friendly nature is not the only reason for the appearance of Acqua Panna. This brand was created thanks to the oligarchic Medici family, who loved to relax at Villa Panna and host guests there. They were the first to pay attention to the local water. And in 1860, the Marquis Torrigiani began bottling it in huge 54-liter bottles and selling it.
The artesian source is characterized by low sodium content and many sulfates and bicarbonates. Its water has a balanced taste, so it is suitable for various dishes.
Evian
The French company Evian is part of the transnational corporation Danone. It produces bottled water taken from several sources in the elite resort town of Évian-les-Bains.
The local water was recognized as beneficial as early as 1789. But it only became popular in the 1800s when a Geneva entrepreneur bought the springs and founded the company Société des Eaux Minérales d’Évian, which soon went bankrupt. Another attempt to produce bottled water was made in 1859 when Parisian investors created the company Cachat Mineral Waters SA. This is the ancestor of today’s Evian brand.
The water is unique in that it seeps through layers of underground rocks, purifying and filling with minerals, and then reaches the rocky springs. The entire natural filtration process takes about 15 years.
Ferrarelle Naturally Sparkling Mineral Water
Ferrarelle mineral water is naturally saturated with gas, not in the factory, but underground, as it passes through the depths of the extinct volcano Roccamonfina. It rises upwards and erupts as a fountain from beneath the ground in the middle of Sorgenti di Riardo Park. The cold geyser is surrounded by groves of oak and olive trees, which improve local ecology.
Ferrarelle company itself was founded in 1893. However, Italians have used its unique source for more than ten centuries because this water has a pleasant, rich taste. It contains a large number of minerals, including:
- fluoride;
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- calcium.
This water is much more balanced than carbonated and tastier than still water. However, it should be noted that due to its high acidity, it is not suitable for everyone.
Fiji
Previously, this brand was called Natural Waters of Viti Ltd. But a few years after its founding, it was renamed after the island country where its plant is located. Interestingly, the Fiji Water company itself is registered in the United States, and its headquarters are located in Los Angeles.
The source of clean and fresh water is an artesian well drilled on the north shore of Viti Levu. It is bottled in plastic bottles and shipped abroad to more than 60 countries worldwide. Paradoxically, 12% of Fijians living near such production do not have access to quality drinking water. Until 2018, this percentage was four times higher, but the Fiji company organized a fund to provide people with free filters.
Fiji positions itself as a premium-class bottled water. Its advantages:
- increased electrolyte content;
- smooth taste;
- original square bottle.
FJORD
Fjord Water Company founded in 2014 thanks to close cooperation between international firm Gunderson Dettmer and the Norwegian government. It produces bottled water that meets high standards. To ensure this, the factory conducts hourly laboratory analyses that confirm the quality of the product.
Fjord’s homeland is the picturesque Norwegian commune of Fyresdal, known for its forests, mountains, and narrow sea bays. It is considered one of the most ecologically clean places in the world, making the local water healthy and safe. Due to its balanced composition and low mineralization, it is suitable for daily consumption.
Fjord is spring water from the Telemark source, where the temperature never drops below 8 degrees Celsius. Consumers note its refreshing, slightly sweet taste and the convenient shape of the bottle.
Gerolsteiner
The German company Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG sells mineral water under the brand Gerolsteiner. It is named after the town of Gerolstein, where the first well was drilled in 1888, giving rise to a major business. The local water became popular due to its high carbon dioxide content. It was even drunk in Buckingham Palace.
In the early years, bottled water was sold only in Germany, but later it was exported to Australia, the United States, and other countries. In the process, the company had to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide to keep up with modern market trends.
Thanks to the balanced amount of bicarbonate, magnesium, and calcium, the water has a pleasant fresh taste with nothing extra. However, it should be noted that it is very acidic: its pH is almost the same as rainwater.
Hildon Natural Mineral Water
The British company Hildon does not just extract water and sell it – it protects its source so that the surrounding nature remains environmentally friendly. The deposit is located in the rural area of Hampshire County, which has very rich flora and fauna. There is an ancient estate under which, at a great depth, water is filtered through unique layers of limestone. In the process, all harmful impurities are removed.
The company does not change the chemical composition of the product but only slightly saturates it with carbon dioxide before bottling it in their signature Bordeaux bottles. Thanks to its neutral acidity, Hildon is perfect for wine and food tasting.
Icelandic Glacial
The Icelandic Glacial brand belongs to Icelandic Water Holdings, which was founded in 2004. Its homeland is Iceland, a unique place with a pristine ecosystem. It is there that the Ölfus source, formed by a volcanic eruption, lies deep underground. It is replenished by precipitation and melting snow. The water is filtered through layers of solidified lava and enters an underground reservoir, from which it then flows into the ocean.
Icelandic Glacial automated plant extracts this water, maintaining special pressure, which prevents contact with the surrounding air. It is bottled directly from the source without additional purification and mineralization. This product has a pleasant taste and does not need processing, as it is created by nature itself. The sculptural glacier-shaped bottle neck emphasizes its crystal-clear purity and freshness.
Mountain Valley Spring Water
Mountain Valley Spring Water’s homeland is the resort town of Hot Springs in the American state of Arkansas. There is a protected source there with a unique mineral composition. This water became famous in 1871 when a local pharmacist began bottling it and selling it under the name Lockett’s Spring Water. Later, he rebranded and renamed the brand after a small nearby settlement.
Clinical trials have proven that this water helps treat rheumatism and liver and kidney diseases. It’s no wonder it was favored by US presidents and other influential figures: Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, and Elvis Presley.
Vichy Catalan
The Vichy Catalan brand is named after the thermal spring near which the water bottling plant is located. The cozy paradise corner in the Spanish municipality of Caldas de Malavella was used for hydrotherapy since ancient times: archaeologists have found many fragments of Roman baths there.
In 1889, the production of bottled water began here. It appeared on pharmacy shelves and was sold as a remedy for hypertension, liver, and stomach diseases. Over time, people started drinking it without a prescription.
In 1959, the plant was mechanized, which allowed sales to increase by 3.5 times. Of course, the growing popularity of water was reflected in its physicochemical properties. The high content of carbonates and salts, as well as the excellent taste of Vichy Catalan, made the brand famous worldwide.
Volvic
The source of Volvic natural mineral water is located in the Chaîne des Puys-Limagne fault, where 80 volcanoes stretch in a long line. This territory with a unique landscape emerged due to a phenomenon that led to the splitting of continents. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An integral part of it is Volvic Impluvium, a large deposit of underground water.
The first spring in this region of France appeared in the 1920s. By the late 1930s, it became the foundation for business: people began to eagerly buy bottled water extracted from the foot of dormant volcanoes. It undergoes natural filtration through solidified lava and is enriched with beneficial substances along the way.
Volvic brand water is quite light – it doesn’t contain an excess of minerals, so that it can be consumed daily. It quenches thirst perfectly and contains a sufficient amount of sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Voss
Despite the name, still and sparkling Voss water is bottled not in the municipality of Voss but in Iveland. It is there, in the picturesque village of Vatnestrøm, that there is an artesian well – a unique source among Norwegian glaciers.
The local water has a refreshing and light taste because it has low total mineralization. This makes it suitable for daily consumption. At the same time, it contains enough magnesium and calcium, which are involved in essential metabolic processes, and almost no nitrates and fluoride.
The brand is owned by the American company Voss of Norway AS, so the products are focused on the United States, although they are sold in several dozen countries. This water can be recognized by its signature cylindrical glass or (less often) plastic bottles.
WildAlp
WildAlp is a trademark of the Austrian company Wildalpen Wasserverwertungs GmbH, which has been selling water from the Hochschwab mountain range since 1999. This area is located in the Northern Limestone Alps and is rich in natural resources. One of the local treasures is underground springs with natural filtration: their water is purified and oxygenated as it passes through karst formations.
WildAlp products are suitable for both children and adults, as they contain very few minerals. Thanks to its low sodium content, this water is perfect for those on salt-free diets. It quenches thirst, improves digestion, and maintains energy balance. The WildAlp Fullmoon line deserves special attention – unique water bottled only during the full moon.
FAQ
What are the benefits of water?
Our blood consists of at least 90% water, the brain – 75-80%, muscles – 75%, and bones – 25%. That is, water is the basis of the human body, and its shortage can lead to death. It helps convert consumed food into energy, participates in the transportation of oxygen, nutrients, antibodies, and hormones, and contributes to the absorption of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Thus, it indirectly supports the immune system.
In addition, water maintains the shape of organs and is involved in regulating body temperature. It also improves skin condition, as youth and health directly depend on regeneration. When dehydrated, the cell renewal process stops.
How much water should you drink per day?
This depends on a person’s weight and age. On average, an adult drinks 2 to 3 liters of water daily. However, there may be limitations related to health conditions. For example, with kidney stones or a tendency for severe swelling, you should consume less fluid.
How to choose the right water?
Bottled water from global brands varies in taste, composition, and even shade because it is sourced from different places. Ideally, it should be:
- clean – substances that can cause health problems must be excluded;
- balanced – it is essential to have the correct indicators of hardness, acidity, alkali, and salt content in drinking water;
- natural – the best sources are considered to be springs, artesian wells, and cold geysers.
When buying bottled water, pay attention to the label, primarily the composition and purpose. A product with high mineralization may not be suitable for everyone, as it is a medicinal product with its indications and contraindications. Another essential factor is the shelf life. In a plastic bottle, water can remain safe for up to 18 months, while in glass containers, it can last up to 2 years.
What can water be made from?
A water molecule consists of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. However, simply mixing oxygen with hydrogen will not produce water. Firstly, a large-scale chemical reaction is needed to combine them, which can lead to a significant explosion. Secondly, drinking water contains a vast amount of dissolved substances:
- magnesium;
- copper;
- iodine;
- fluoride;
- chlorine;
- potassium;
- calcium;
- iron.
Such an indicator as mineralization determines their amount. The largest amount of impurities is found in mineral water, including artesian water. The lowest content of dissolved substances is found in the melted glacial water.
