Which Brands Of Bottled Water Are Actually Tap Water ?

You may drink a couple of bottles of water in your daily life routine. But have you ever wondered about the source from where this water is obtained, filtered, and provided to you? Usually, the bottled water you drink comes from tap water, which is filtered, purified, and contains minerals with improved quality. But which brands do that? Let’s figure it out!

Can Tap Water Be Bottled Water?

Yes, in the USA or any other part of the world, tap water can actually be bottled water with a little more treatment.

Tap water which is supplied through the municipal Water corporation of your city, town, or village, can be used by multiple bottled water manufacturing brands as it is always easily accessible.

But always remember, no brand will just add the tap water in a bottle to devalue its trust in the eyes of people and its customers.

Therefore, this tap water is filtered and added with chemicals and additional minerals before it reaches your doorstep or becomes the first sip in your mouth when you drink it.

Curious to know more about bottled water? Read our Bottled Water-Ultimate guide, and you will know everything about it!

Which Brands Of Bottled Water Are Actually Tap Water?

According to recent research by Wikipedia, almost 25% of U.S. bottled water sold is sourced through Municipal water.

The Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) has spent 4 years studying this and realized how tap water is converted into bottled water.

This municipal water comes to your house through different water supply lines and taps, which you can access.

Therefore, most highly reputed water bottle brands in the USA produce bottled water using tap water. It includes bottled water brands like Dasani, Nestle Pure Life, Aquafina, Essentia, Lifework, Smartwater, Propel, Core, and Kirkland, sourcing their water through the local water supply, such as a municipal corporation, which basically taps water.

But they purify this water through different water purification methods.

Such water is treated so that it must meet the highest water quality standard for drinking.

The U.S. EPA (Environment Protection Agency) sets these rules and regulations for producing excellent quality bottled water, even if it comes from the tap.

These bottled water companies must meet these standards to produce quality water.

When tap water is treated, your bottled water comes with lots of minerals, electrolytes, calcium, and other healthy chemicals.

Top 9 Brands Of Bottled Water That Are Actually Tap Water?

It could be fascinating to know the real source of some of the famous water bottle brands, and which water bottles you drink daily.

In this regard, I’ve made a list of the top 9 of the most famous brands that are using tap water as their water source and purifying it to fill their water bottles so that you may drink them.

Please have a look!

Dasani Purified Water Bottled Brand:

Dasani is one of the most famous bottled water brands in the USA.

It is the brand of the Coca-Cola Company. Currently, it sells many water bottles in the country and other parts of the world.

Dasani takes advantage of the local water supply and then purifies it, adds minerals, and makes it healthy and clean to drink before the water gets packed into the water bottles.

In most states of the USA, like Colorado, Minnesota, Arizona, Michigan, and California, Dasani source its water supply through municipal tap water suppliers.

Using the reverse osmosis process, this water is purified and then filled into the bottles so that you can enjoy a crispy, healthy and better taste of tap water.

Nestle Pure Life Purified Bottled Water Brand:

By holding many brands like Poland Spring and Pure life, Nestle makes an average sale of $4.3 billion every year by selling water bottles to different units in the USA.

They also take water from the well and Municipal water supply, otherwise called tap water.

Because in the homes, the same water is provided through the water supply lines.

However, it is not always necessary to consider that a nestle water bottle will have tap water purified or any other because no one knows which type of water goes into which bottle.

Aquafina Bottled Water Brand:

Currently, Aquafina has 40 bottled water production units working day and night in the USA and Canada. Aquafina is a brand of Popular PepsiCo company.

This purified water brand also sources its water from Public Water Sources such as tap water.

Such water is purified through a pervasive water purification process known as Reverse Osmosis.

Aquafina also claims that “ their water has purity standards even exceeding all those standards set by the federal government for bottled water purification.”

Even if Aquafina takes its most water from the tap water sources, providing you with the best quality water that is safe, tasty, purified, and healthy to drink is concerned.

Until it is not made sure, the water doesn’t go into the bottles.

Lifewtr Bottled Water Brand:

Lifewtr is another famous bottled water manufacturing and selling brand in the USA which uses the process of reverse osmosis to purify and clean water.

The water is sourced through tap water or, say, municipal reservoirs.

But like any other brand, they add electrolytes, including Magnesium Sulfate And Potassium Bicarbonate, to improve the water quality.

Such electrolytes or minerals work just great in enhancing the quality of that tap water before it gets packed into the bottles.

Smartwater Bottled Water Brand:

You have probably drunk a bottle of water from Smartwater bottled brand once in a lifetime.

It is another one making its source of water the Municipal Water Supply Source and then purifying it to meet your needs for the best quality water you deserve.

Their water is purified by passing through different processes and then packed into the bottles.

They use the Vapor Distillation process of purification to purify the tap water, which is then sent to their extensive purification systems.

There, high-quality water electrolytes are added to this water, and its pH and other things like taste, smell, and freshness improve before you find the water in the bottles.

Essential Bottled Water Brand:

Essentia is also a popular name in the USA that produces quality water bottles for its customers.

But they also claim that their water is taken from the tap water source and then improved before it gets packed. This water also comes with added minerals and electrolytes.

Core Bottled Water Brand:

When you talk about the Core Water Bottle Brand, you are talking about a type of water that is just more than water from tap water sources.

Because even if they take the source water from the taps or normal water supplies, their purified water passes through the 7 stages of purification before reaching into the bottles.

These stages include reverse osmosis, micron, carbon filtration, ozonation, ultraviolet exposure, etc.

Believing that when you drink a bottle of water from Core, it means it has the guarantee of removal of 99.9% containments that otherwise come through the tap water.

However, you may not find Fluoride in the Core Bottled water.

Propel Bottled Water Brand:

When propel water is concerned, it is Gatorade’s version of the water. The water is sourced through tap water supplies and highly purified using reverse osmosis.

When such water is purified by this method, the Propel water manufacturing company doesn’t forget to add minerals.

Minerals or electrolytes like Sodium, Sulfate, Magnesium, Bicarbonate the Potassium carbonate are specially added. These work just great in enhancing the hydration of a human being.

Besides, this brand offers bottled water in many flavors like watermelon, grape, lemon, etc.

However, you can also purchase propel water bottles without any flavor.

Kirkland Bottled Water Brand:

Lastly, Kirkland bottled water manufacturing brand has a water source from another bottled water company.

We name it Niagara Bottling LLC. This company has multiple sources for bringing water into the bottles.

It could be from anywhere, including the Tap water, Springs, Wells, and other Municipal Water Supply Sources. But it is always hard to determine which water is actually going into the bottled water.

But one thing is for sure: they do add minerals to improve the quality of water bottles they produce and sell to their customers.

However, there can be so many brands currently working and selling water bottles in the USA.

But these are some of the most famous ones having their most prominent water source: Tap Water.

The brands I didn’t mention, which you have in mind, might have other water sources such as springs and wells. Or these could be underrated, as no one bothers about them.

Table Comparison Of Bottled Water Brands That Are Actually Tap Water:

I have compared all these brands with their main water source and other prominent features in the table below. Please have a look!

Bottled Water Brands	Source Of Water	Purification Process	Usage Of Minerals	Safety For Drinking?
Dasani Purified Water Bottled Brand:	Municipal Water Supply (tap water)	Reverse Osmosis	Yes	Yes
Nestle Pure Life Purified Bottled Water Brand:	Local Water Supply (tap water)	Reverse Osmosis	Yes
Aquafina Bottled Water Brand:	Municipal water Supply (tap water)	Reverse Osmosis	Yes	Yes
Lifewtr Bottled Water Brand:	Public Water Sources (tap water)	Reverse Osmosis	Yes	Yes
Smartwater Bottled Water Brand:	Municipal Water Supply (tap water)	Vapor Distillation	Yes	Yes
Essentia Bottled Water Brand:	Public Water Sources (Tap water)	Reverse Osmosis	Yes	Yes
Core Bottled Water Brand:	Tap Water Source	Reverse Osmosis	Yes	Yes
Propel Bottled Water Brand:	Tap Water	Reverse Osmosis	Yes	Yes
Kirkland Bottled Water Brand:	Through Another Company	Reverse Osmosis	Yes	Yes

Bottled Water Brands That Are Actually Tap Water

From What Main Sources Bottled Water Brands Take Water In The USA?

Taking water from the tap is only 25% of 100%. But not all brands of water take water from the Municipal water supply.

Even if there are brands taking water from this source, they might have other water sources too.

According to the FDA, almost 75% of the bottled water which is being sold in the USA comes from other sources.

These other sources include rivers, lakes, Natural Underground Sources, Springs, and those Artesian Wells.

However, even this type of water is filtered and purified before it is sent to the stores for drinking and cooking purposes in plastic bottles.

The following are the main sources of water other than tap water. Please have a look!

Natural Underground Sources:

Water is present in those underground natural sources where you can dig and find it.

Most water bottle manufacturing companies install heavy-duty pumps to take water out of the land.

Then, this water is sent to the plants, where it can be filtered and purified before filling into the water bottles.

Such a process requires electricity consumption and more fuel because running those pumps is not an easy and economical task.

Artesian Wells:

Water is also present in those Artesian wells that can be extracted from an aquifer that is deep underground.

Other than tap water, well water is basically more natural and contains more quantity of minerals.

However, there is also a side effect and a risk of having bacteria in the well water.

Therefore, water bottle manufacturing companies usually filter or treat this water before it goes into the bottles.

Spring Water:

From the name, it can be guessed that spring water is extracted and available in those Natural Springs.

These springs are present either below the ground or above the ground as a great water source.

Many famous brands like the Deer Park Bottled water brand, Ozarka Bottled Water Brand, and Crystal Geyser Water Bottle Brand produce or fill water bottles by sourcing water through the natural springs.

Water Through Lakes, Rivers, And Steams:

Some companies, if they don’t be able to make a contract with the Municipal water supply.

Or they don’t have a firm belief in improving water supplied through the tap; they set a water purification plant on a river, lake, or steam.

At that place, water will be pure, fresh, and naturally coming from mountains or other higher grounds.

These companies filter out the bacteria and other chemicals into such water and add minerals if needed before bottling it.

Hence, you get a better taste, quality, and other amazing features in your water that your tap water may not be able to provide.

How Do Different Bottled Water Brands Give Labels To The Water Taken From Different Sources?

Concerning the sources from which various water bottle brands pick the water and filter it, they give it a unique label.

This label is usually on the water bottle that indicates the type of water present in it.

So, the next time you buy a water bottle, having these labels would mean these water sources.

Unique Labels	Meaning
Bottled Water	Any water in the bottle with no definite source
Artesian Water	Water is taken from the artesian well or any aquifer, which is also safe to drink.
Drinking Water	bottles with this label define no source but are usually considered safe to drink.
Mineral Water	Water from most underground sources improved with up to 250 ppm of mineral ions. It is highly safe and healthy for the human body.
The Spring Water	Water bottle with this label contains above or underground spring water.
Sparkling Water	Any bottled water which has been carbonated and defines no source.
Purified Water	This water is produced through several filtration processes, including Distillation, Reverse Osmosis, Demineralization, Deionization, etc.

Bottled Water Labels Meaning

What Percentage Of Bottled Water Is Tap Water?

In a test by the NRDC, almost 25% or more of bottled water is tap water.

Brands that don’t care to meet the FDA regulations about water safety don’t really give a concern even if they are adding untreated tap water into the bottles.

However, brands that care a lot about consumer health and meet water quality standards further treat this tap water through filtration processes and add minerals to improve its quality.

Then such water is added to the plastic water bottles.

What Is The Healthiest Bottled Water Brand In The USA?

With a pH of 7.3 and being available to many consumers in the USA, Evian Natural Spring water is considered to be the healthiest water bottle brand.

Such a pH level is a little higher than any typical spring water.

However, if the Evian is unavailable, consider buying Essentia, another best water bottle brand.

Plus, it is also considered the healthiest one according to the World Water Forum 7 organization.

Final Thoughts:

Although that’s true that most water bottle manufacturing brands take water from the tap. But that doesn’t mean they fill it in bottles without treating it. Tap water is always treated, filtered, and improved for healthy drinking practices.

Therefore, share your thoughts with me if this guide has helped you understand anything about it. Let me know your queries and suggestions, as they are always welcome.

Until the next one, have nice vibes!

References:

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