It�s can be helpful to understand common bottled water terms, such as:

Drinking water this term is used loosely to describe water that is safe for human consumption. It is acceptable for bottlers to use disinfectants (such as chlorine) in amounts considered safe. According to bottled water quality standards, it is also acceptable for bottlers to add fluoride within set limits.

Well water & artesian water both of these waters are tapped through a well, and the water may or may not be treated.

Spring water water from an underground aquifer is collected as it rises to the surface or through a borehole. Water may or may not be treated.

Ground water a term used to describe either well water or spring water.

Mineral water to be called mineral water, the ground water must contain 250 or more parts per million of total dissolved solids.

Distilled water the distillation process involves boiling water, which kills microbes and removes the natural minerals in the water. The steam is then re-condensed and bottled.

Sterilized water this water can originate from any source but it has been sterilized and is free from most microbes, according to U.S. Pharmacopeia standards.

Purified water another water that can come from any source but is free of most chemicals (i.e., no more than 10 parts per million of total dissolved solids). Purified water may also be free of microbes if treated with distillation or reverse osmosis, both of which also remove naturally occurring minerals.

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