Nutrition Q & A
Is All Bottled Water the Same?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies bottled water by it origin. Types of bottled water include:
- Artesian well water. This water is collected from a well that taps an aquifer—layer of porous rock, sand and earth that contain water.
- Mineral water. This water comes from an underground source and contains at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids which include minerals and trace elements.
- Spring water. This water must be collected from a spring that flows naturally to the surface or through a borehole that taps the underground water source of the spring.
Some bottled water also comes from municipal water that is usually treated before it is bottled. Municipal water treated by reverse osmosis (to remove minerals), distillation or filtration may be labeled "purified water."
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