What the Labels on Water Bottles Mean

As consumers have learned recently, as big brands like Aquafina have admitted bottling plain old tap water and often selling it for upwards of $1 for 20 fluid ounces, bottled water is not always what it seems.

The Associated Press printed a handy glossary that includes some of the most common terms. Here's a look at some of the most important:

• Purified: "usually is municipal water that has been processed using distillation, deionization or reverse osmosis."
• Artesian: "water comes from an aquifer."
• Spring: "water bubbles naturally from a spring, or is extracted."

Remember, tap water is tightly regulated, assuming it flows from a municipal system (and not a private well). The quality, safety and cleanliness of the water flowing from the tap is more assured than that of bottled water, in most cases, since bottled water is rarely held to the same standards or testing rigor. Further, bottling water in tiny plastic bottles and shipping those bottles across the country — particularly when its just bottled tap water anyway — is a tremendously wasteful practice. Plastic, remember, is derived from oil (with rare exception), and trucks are among the most highly polluting vehicles on the road, so think twice before reaching for a bottle of water — whatever its source.

Related Tips

Kick the Plastic Water Bottle Habit

Use a Refillable Mug

Keep a Pitcher of Water in Your Fridge

Toss a Bottle in Your Toilet

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