What's the difference? Isn't water, water?

Water is water the way food is food, the way wine is wine, the way cheese is cheese, and the way air is air! Corned Beef Hash and Prime Rib are NOT the same. Velveeta Cheese Spread and Stilton are NOT the same. Dom Perignon and Korbel are NOT the same. Fresh ocean breezes and inner city smog are NOT the same. Types of Bottled Water

What is "bottled water"? It is water that is sealed in sanitary containers which meets all applicable federal and provincial standards. It cannot contain any chemical additives or sweeteners and must be calorie-free and sugar-free. However, various kinds of bottled water are commercially available. A quick look at the label tells you that bottled water may be drawn from either municipal water supplies or from protected natural sources such as springs, glaciers and wells. According to the IBWA (International Bottled Water Association), about 75% of the bottled water sold in the US comes from natural sources. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines different types of bottled water on the basis of (1) its water source and (2) its chemical composition at the time that it is drawn from the source.

It is important to note that virgin waters drawn from deep inside the earth, containing unique healthy chemistries, bottled untouched by human hands, are NOT the same as municipal well water, or surface waters collected in a reservoir, or the bottled tap waters scrubbed chemically then sold in mass marketing outlets.

Spring Water
Spring Water originates from an underground source and can either be collected directly from the spring or from a bore hole that taps the aquifer that feeds the spring. Water drawn from the bore hole must elicit the same properties and be of the same composition and quality as the water in the spring. Spring water is expected to contain fewer than 500 parts per million (ppm) of total dissolved solids (minerals).

Mineral Water
Mineral Water contains more than 500 ppm of total dissolved solids which are present at the point of emergence from the source. Minerals cannot be added to this water nor can it be drawn from a municipal source. In Canada, mineral water is often thought of as "carbonated" but the term mineral water only indicates a waters mineral content. Both still and carbonated waters can be mineral waters as long as their total dissolved solids are above 500 ppm.

Well Water
Well Water is any water that can be extracted from a hole drilled in the ground that taps into an aquifer.

Artesian Water
Artesian Water is water that is drawn from an aquifer which is confined by a layer of clay or rock which then pressurizes the water enough to allow it to rise up through the ground without mechanical pumps.

Purified Water
Purified Water is any of the preceding water types which are produced through various water treatment processes including distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, carbon-filtering , chlorination and/or a host of other processes to remove impurities and any dissolved solids or minerals. This water originates as either tap water (i.e., from a municipal system) or groundwater.

Still Water
Still Water is water containing little or no appreciable CO2 (carbon dioxide) as it is extracted from the earth.

Carbonated Water
Carbonated Water is also known among water aficionados as the "nat-carbs". These rare waters contain natural, often complex, carbonation naturally - exactly as they are harvested from the earth ( i.e. underground volcanic activity). Badoit, Gerolsteiner, Ferrarelle, and Borsec.

Sparkling Water
Sparkling Water is still water artificially infused with CO2 to make it fizzy. Most sparkling waters fall within a narrow range of infusion levels, although certain brands are known for their more aggressive infusion levels, and others feature smaller, softer bubbles.



The Composition of Water (What does it all mean?)

TDS
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids. It is the overall measurement of the amount of minerals suspended in the water. To show the extremes, distilled water (which does not occur naturally anywhere in the world, and is ideal for irons and radiators, not humans) has a TDS of 0. The highest TDS natural waters have a TDS approaching 3,000. The actual measurement is "milligrams per liter"; also known as "parts per million." Evian is a light-TDS water at 357 mg/l. Ty Nan t is a low-TDS water at 165 mg/l. Spa is a "pure" water at a TDS of 33 mg/l. Vittel is a mid-TDS water at 841 mg/l. San Pellegrino is high-TDS at 1108 mg/l. An example of a very good very high-TDS water is Apollinaris , at 2,650.

PH
pH technically stands for Percent Hydrogen. In simple language, the pH is the acidity or alkalinity of taste. Acidity is the sour taste exemplified by lemons, and vinegar. Alkalinity is the tart/bitter taste associated with bicarbonate of soda, and soap. The way pH works is on a balance beam scale where the middle is 7.0. Any substance that is perfectly neutral in pH, possessing no acidity or alkalinity, has 7.0 pH. Distilled water has a 7.0 - and great natural waters can range from the mid-5s all the up to the mid 9s. Most pH's of great waters are clustered between the low 6's and the high 8's.

Of course, there is some relationship between the TDS and the pH, but not as much as you might imagine. For example, there are very high-TDS waters with high, neutral, and most often low pH values. The same is true of the other TDS ranges. This variegation creates a spectacular opportunity to identify the waters that best suit your body chemistry and your taste.



The following elements are measured in milligrams per litre (mg/l)

Na
Sodium
Sodium is essential for the exchange of water between the cells and the intercellular medium. It is also important for the working of muscles, enabling contraction.

Sodium ranges from 10mg/l in most bottled waters to 1200 mg/l in a few, such as Vichy Catalan.

Ca
Calcium
Calcium is used to build bones and teeth. If you don't have enough over a long time, it may lead to osteoporosis. Muscle activity and transmission of nerve signals also relies on calcium. It is also used for coagulation of the blood and regulates heart activity. Hormone secretion is also regulated by calcium. It is used in enzyme production.

Calcium deficiency increases the risk of high blood pressure and heart attack.

Together with magnesium, calcium provides electricity for the heart.

Bottled water usually has less than 100mg/l of calcium, but a few like Contrex and Sanfaustino are very high in calcium (above 500 mg/l).

Mg
Magnesium
Magnesium is essential for bones and cells, especially the muscular cells. It helps maintaining the muscular and nervous equilibrium. It is also used for building bones and tendons and in the construction of many enzymes.

Together with calcium, magnesium provides electricity for the heart. Magnesium is also useful in fighting osteoporosis and kidney stones.

Lack of magnesium causes nervousness, sickness, cramps of the stomach and the calf.

Donat Mg is an extremely high example with 1000mg/l.

K
Potassium
Potassium is needed for regulation of water in the cells. It maintains the osmotic pressure. Potassium is also responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses and for muscle contractions. It also helps to maintain the balance of fluids, thus helping to prevent dehydration and excess fluid retention. A deficiency of potassium leads to weakness of the muscles, low blood pressure, constipation, general fatigue and nervousness.

Typical potassium content in bottled water is less than 5 mg/l but some like Ferrarelle can have as much as 50mg/l.

N03
Nitrates
Nitrates are a chemical compound necessary to sustain plant life. NO3 delivers essential nitrogen to plants via fertilizers to increase size and output. Nitrates are then often carried by rain, irrigation, and other surface waters through the soil and into ground water through a process known as "leaching." Nitrogen fertilizers are the #1 source of nitrates in drinking water. The #2 source of nitrates in drinking water is human wastes and animal feces. They can contribute to sickening contamination of both municipal and "bottled" drinking water. Nitrate levels in drinking water are considered an absolute indicator of overall water quality , along with bacterial infiltration, and presence of chemical toxins.

WHAT NITRATE-NITROGEN LEVELS ARE SAFE OR DESIRABLE?

The maximum safe level of nitrate-nitrogen in drinking water is 10 milligrams per litre (commonly written as "mg/l, and synonymous with "parts per million").

Wattwiller's claim to fame is "ZERO NITRATES".

Cl
Chloride - Chlorine (Cl- )

Together with sodium, Chlorine forms our normal salt, used to spice up our regular diet. While too much salt is unhealthy, none at all can lead to serious malfunction in our body as well.

Chlorine and sodium are used to maintain osmotic pressure in the cells. As part of the digestive acids in the stomach it plays an important role in the digestion. Chlorine is also used to purify water.

Lack of chlorine may result in loss of stomach acid, diarrhea, and, in extreme cases, disruptions of growth.

S04
Sulfates
Sulfates are salts of sulphur. They help the liver detoxify the body and aid digestion by stimulating the gall bladder. High doses of sulphates act as a laxative.

Most bottled waters have well below 100mg'l but San Pellegrino and a few others can reach 500mg/l.

HC03
Bicarbonate
Bicarbonate is essential for maintaining our bodies' pH level. It helps to maintain acid balance in the stomach and the intestines and supports digestion.

The typical range for bicarbonate is 50 to 200 mg/l in bottled water, but it can reach up to about 1800 mg/l in waters such as Apollinaris, Borsec and Gerolsteiner.

Si02
Silica
Is one of the natural cleansing agents. It is also helping build bones, cartilage, connecting tissues and teeth (hair and nails are strengthened). It also reduces the risk of heart disease and may prevent osteoporosis.

If bottled waters contain any silica, it is usually less than 20 mg/l. Fiji at 85 mg/l and Antipodes at 76 mg/l are very high in Silica.

F
Flouride
Flouride is necessary for building bones and teeth. Teeth with fluoride are less prone to caries (thus tooth paste containing fluoride). It is used together with Calcium (Ca++) and Vitamin D to treat osteoporosis.

On the other hand, fluoride is highly reactive and should be taken with care. Too much fluoride colours the teeth and if taken over a very long time may lead to changes in the bone structure.

The recommended maximum daily allowance depends on the age: