All You Need to Know About Different Types of Drinking Water

With so many different types of drinking water on the market, it’s important to inform yourself about what you’re purchasing. With this in mind, we’ve worked with our water quality team to put together this handy-dandy cheat sheet covering everything you need to know about bottled water, including Mananalu’s very own purified drinking water.

Spring Water, and Groundwater, and Well Water... Oh My!

Feeling overwhelmed by all the different types of drinking water lining the aisle of your local grocery store? Ever wonder what the difference is between artesian, ground, spring, and well water? We’ve got you covered, and don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz at the end.

All four types of drinking water mentioned above actually come from an underground aquifer and may or may not be treated. The difference between them is how that aquifer is ultimately tapped.

Wellwater is—as the name implies—tapped from a well, as is artesian water.

Springwater is collected from an underground aquifer when it flows to the surface, or via a borehole.

Groundwater can come from either option.

We mentioned above that these water types may or may not be treated. What do we mean by this? Most commonly, this refers to purified drinking water, which is free of all chemicals through distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, or other approved methods. So, if you see distilled water, for example, this is a type of drinking water that has been purified by bottling the steam of boiling water.

Purified drinking water can originate from any water source (i.e. well, artesian, ground, spring) and adheres to the U.S. Pharmacopoeia’s purification guidelines. The most common form of purified drinking water?...tap water, or any municipal water from a public water source. Mananalu’s water is also purified—more on that below.

Now That We’ve Covered the Basics, Tell Me About Specialty Waters

You’ve probably also seen labels for other types of drinking water, like mineral, ionized, or electrolyte formulated. Maybe you’ve even purchased a bottle for yourself, without being exactly sure what you bought. Allow us to help you out.

Mineral water

Much like the types of drinking water we’ve already mentioned, mineral water also comes from the ground. It is, however, almost exclusively sparkling, as it naturally contains 250 or more parts per million of dissolved solids.

Ionized or alkaline water

Water with a high pH level is often referred to as ionized or alkaline water. In its natural state, water has a neutral pH level of about seven (on a scale of ten). Ionized water, which is regarded as having numerous health benefits, typically has a pH level of eight or nine. Some of the reasons people opt to drink ionized water is a belief that it helps with acid reflux and immune system support, encourages weight loss and efficient blood flow, possesses anti-aging, colon-cleansing, and detoxifying properties, and even offers cancer resistance.

Electrolyte formulated water

Lastly, electrolyte formulated water is infused with common electrolytes such as sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and/or calcium. When dissolved in water, these minerals conduct electricity, which can then improve bodily functions, which is why it is often consumed when playing sports.

And What Type of Drinking Water is Mananalu?

We’re so glad you asked because we’re always happy to share more about our purified drinking water and where it comes from. At Mananalu, our water can originate from a network of protected groundwater sources or municipal sources in the United States, all of which are certified through the Global Food Safety Initiative. This certification is important, as evidenced by the fact that most large retailers—like Target, Walmart, and Amazon—require this. Additionally, all of our suppliers undergo a food safety and quality audit by Mananalu, with criteria based on the Food & Drug Administration’s Food Safety & Modernization Act.

In addition to a heavily vetted water supplier network, our water is triple-filtered and purified via a multi-step process that we are constantly monitoring and testing. The process includes granular activated carbon filtration, interim ultraviolet light disinfection, reverse osmosis, and zonation. (Try saying all of that five times fast.)

With our high-quality supplier network and consistent purification process, Mananalu is proud to offer the same great tasting, purified drinking water with a low carbon footprint.