A quick guide to the different kinds of bottled water out there
It’s all clear. It’s all wet. And you can drink them all too. So what exactly is the difference between natural mineral, spring or prepared water?
Well, actually quite a bit. Things like where they come from, their consistency, composition, taste and if they’re protected or treated, all play their part in how water is classified. Here’s a bit of a rundown of the three main kinds of bottled water that you’re most likely to come across:
What is mineral water?
Aquaplus (Southdowns) Natural Mineral Water, like all natural mineral water, comes directly from a named underground source that’s guaranteed to be protected from pollution. This source should be named on the bottle.
And like all others, it has to contain consistent mineral composition (calcium, magnesium, potassium and sulphates, to name just a few).
It can’t be chemically treated under any circumstances and the flow of the water must be constant too (luckily ours is naturally pumped up under pressure) so that its purity can be guaranteed.
And if you can’t claim all of that, you can’t claim it’s a mineral water (it’s the law).
What is spring water?
All spring water comes from a known named underground source, without passing through a community water system.
And it’s also protected within certain set vulnerability perimeters to avoid pollution and contamination but it can’t be chemically treated. Not only that, it’s fit for human consumption at the source (and kept in that state until bottled).
Prepared water
Sometimes known as ‘table water’ or ‘mountain water’, this kind of water can originate from any type of supply (including municipal water) and can come from multiple sources.
It can also be treated so that it complies with chemical, microbiological and radiological safety requirements for pre-packaged water.
It may also have things added to it, such as additional minerals or treatments. Prepared water is often the standard for emerging countries where purity means above all, safety. Depending on local legislation, it will be called “purified water” or “drinking water” on the label.
So there it is. Hopefully you’ll now be even more up to speed about the different kinds of water you can choose to refresh yourself with.
Order our bottled natural mineral water here.
