California beefs up bottled water labeling
Best Bottled Water Labels
Transparent Brands with Advanced Treatment SEE ALL BRANDS
Drink plenty of water, but avoid bottled water when you can. It pollutes the environment and is often bottled from tap water. When you must, choose from brands listed below with clear labeling and advanced treatment:
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Filtered Tap Water | A |
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Nestle Pure Life | B |
| Ozarka | B | |
| Penta Ultra-Purified Water | B | |
| Sam's Choice | B | |
| Dasani | C | |
| Glaceau Smart Water | C | |
| Hinckley Springs | C | |
| Walgreens | C |
Grades based on EWG analysis of brand transparency (water source, treatment, testing) and rigor of treatment. [See methodology]
A California law passed in 2007 (SB 220) requires bottled water companies to label the name and location of their water source, and to provide consumers with water quality testing reports upon request, effective January 1 2009. EWG assessed the extent to which this law affected labeling practices nationwide.
We compared 2008 and 2009 labels from 54 bottled water products, and found that more than half of these products are providing more information, with many now complying with the new California requirements:
- 28 bottled water brands gave customers more information in 2008 than in 2009 (Table 1)
- 7 bottled water brands gave customers less information in 2008 than in 2009 (Table 2)
- 19 bottled water companies gave customers the same information in 2008 as in 2009 (Table 3)
This new law is one of many changes in recent years improving consumers' access to information on bottled water sources, treatment and quality. Pressure from Corporate Accountability International's 4-year "Think Outside the Bottle" campaign led Pepsi and Nestle to label the sources of their Aquafina and Pure Life brands, and spurred passage of a resolution to stop city spending on bottled water, adopted by a coalition of 1,100 mayors, among many other accomplishments.
Table 1: 28 bottled water brands gave customers more information in 2008 than in 2009
| Product | 2008 | 2009 | Labels sent from? |
| Sparkletts Crystal-Fresh Purified Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | CA |
| Poland Spring Natural Spring | Water Vague source information on website: Ancient aquifers in Maine | Detailed source information on website: "Spring water sources: Poland Spring, Poland Spring, ME; Clear Spring, Hollis, ME; Evergreen Spring, Fryeburg, ME; Spruce Spring, Pierce Pond Township, ME; Garden Spring, Poland, ME; Bradbury Spring, Kingfield, ME and/or White Cedar Spring, Dallas Plt, ME" | NY; MA; NJ; VA; ME |
| 365 Everyday Value Spring Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and email address to get information on water quality | AZ (2009 label from NC showed no change from 2008) |
| Ozarka Natural Spring Water | Vague source information on website: Various east-Texas springs located in Henderson, Walker and Wood counties | Detailed source information on website: "Various east-Texas springs located in Henderson, Walker and Wood counties: Roher Spring, Henderson County, TX; Moffit Spring, Walker County, TX; Piney Woods Springs, Wood County, TX; Clear Springs, Wood County, TX" | TX; MS; KS; OK |
| Nestle Pure Life Purified Water | No source information provided on label | Source information provided on label: "Deep protected well, [Breinigsville, PA and/or Public Water Supply, Allentown, PA] [Ontario, CA] [Hollis, Maine]" | CT; MD; CA (2009 label from TX showed no change from 2008) |
| Nestle Pure Life Purified Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | CT; MD; CA (2009 label from TX showed no change from 2008) |
| Spring! Natural Spring Water | No information on water purification process available on website | Water purification process detailed on website: "Microfiltration, Ozonation, Ultra Violet Light (UV) disinfection" OH; UT | |
| Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water | No source information given on label and only vague source information available on website: "The sources range from the natural springs in US to Canada including sources in a watershed outside of San Francisco" | Both label and website name the water sources. Label: "Arcadia Spring, Calistoga, CA; Lukens Spring, Baxter, CA; Sopiago Spring, El Dorado County, CA; Sugar Pine Spring, Long Barn, CA; White Meadows Spring, Pacific House, CA; Rainbow Lodge/Royal Gorge, Soda Springs, CA; Hope Springs, BC, Canada; SP Spring, Riverside County, CA; Arrowhead Springs, San Bernardino County, CA; Long Point Ranch, Running Spring, CA; Palomar Mountain Granite Springs (PMGS), Palomar, CA; Deer Canyon Springs, San Bernardino County, CA; Coyote Springs, Inyo County, CA". Website: "Arcadia Spring, Calistoga, CA; Lukens Spring, Baxter, CA; Sopiago Spring, El Dorado County, CA; Sugar Pine Spring, Long Barn, CA; White Meadows Spring, Pacific House, CA; Rainbow Lodge/Royal Gorge, Soda Springs, CA; Hope Springs, BC, Canada; SP Spring, Riverside County, CA; Arrowhead Springs, San Bernardino County, CA; Long Point Ranch, Running Spring, CA; Palomar Mountain Granite Springs (PMGS), Palomar, CA; Deer Canyon Springs, San Bernardino County, CA; Coyote Springs, Inyo County, CA" | AZ; CA |
| Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | AZ; CA |
| Kirkland Signature Premium Drinking Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | CA; CO |
| Deer Park Natural Spring Water | Vague source information available on website: Original source in Appalachian Mountains outside of Deer Park, Maryland plus additional undisclosed locations | Detailed source information provided on website: "Frontier located in New Tripoli, PA, Bangor, PA, Stroudsburg, PA, Hegins, PA, South Coventry, PA, Pine Grove, PA Newmanstown, PA and/or Oakland, MD; Spring of Life, Lake County, FL and/or Crystal Springs, Pasco County, FL; White Springs, Liberty County, FL and/or Blue Springs, Madison County, FL; Glenwood Spring, St Albans, ME; Sweetwater Falls, Hohenwald, TN" | DC; VA; OH; GA |
| Dasani Purified Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | CA; MI; OR (2009 labels from DC, CA, VA, OH and GA showed no change from 2008) |
| Fiji Natural Artesian Water | Website did not provide details on purification | Website provided details on purification techniques used to treat the water: "the water is filtered, microfiltered and ultra violet light is applied" WI; VA; TX | |
| Fiji Natural Artesian Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | WI; VA; TX |
| Glaceau Smart Water | No information on water source available on website | Vague information on water source available on website: "Most facilities that purify and bottle smartwater procure water from municipal water systems. At a few plants, however, water is obtained from protected groundwater sources managed by the bottling plant, with approvals from local authorities. " | CA |
| Kirkland Signature Mountain Spring Water | No purification information available on product website | Purification information provided on product website: "Advanced filtration, Ozonation and Reverse Osmosis Technologies" | NM |
| Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water | Vague source information available on website: Springs in Florida plus additional spring sources | Detailed source information available on website: "Crystal Springs, Pasco County, FL; Cypress Springs, Washington County, FL and/or Blue Springs, Madison County, FL" | FL |
| Market Pantry Purified Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | AR |
| Ice Mountain Natural Spring Water | Vague source information on website: Several "unique springs" in the Northern United States | Detailed water sources given on website: "Sanctuary and Evart Springs, Stanwood, MI; Frontier Springs located in New Tripoli, PA, Bangor, PA, Hegins, PA, South Coventry, PA, Pine Grove, PA, Stroudsburg, PA and /or Oakland, MD; Glenwood Spring, St Albans, ME; Sweetwater Falls, Hohenwald, TN; Bennett Hill Spring, Red Boiling Springs, TN" | MO; IL |
| Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and email address to get information on water quality | WA |
| Crystal Springs Natural Mountain Spring Water | Vague source information available on product label: Springs, Blue Ridge, GA | Detailed water source given on the product label: "Tablerock Spring, Morganton, NC 28655" | NC |
| Sam's Choice Purified Drinking Water with Flavor Enhancing Minerals | No water quality report available on website | Water quality report available on website with information on source, treatment and water testing results | NC; OK |
| Sam's Choice Purified Drinking Water with Flavor Enhancing Minerals | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | NC; OK (2009 label from VA showed no change since 2008) |
| Stater Bros. Pure Water Purified Drinking Water | No information available on product label about water source | Vague water source information available on product label: "deep protected wells in southern California" | CA |
| Stater Bros. Pure Water Purified Drinking Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number to get information on water quality | CA |
| Evian Natural Spring Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | CA (2009 labels from IL and OR did not change since 2008) |
| Refreshe Purified Drinking Water | No website available to inform consumers about product | Website available with information on the purification process and water testing | CA |
| Refreshe Purified Drinking Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | CA (2009 labels from DC, OR and VA unchanged since 2008) |
| Volvic Natural Spring Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | FL |
| Camelot Purified Water | No source information given on product label | Source information given on product label: "Lafayette Spring, Lafayette TWP, WI" | WI |
| Camelot Purified Water | No purification information given on product label | Purification information given on product label: "purified by reverse osmosis" WI | |
| Trader Joe's Pure New Zealand Artesian Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and email address to get information on water quality | CA |
| Hinckley Springs Spring Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | KS |
| Nursery Purified Water | No source information included on label | Label details water sources: Arrowhead Springs; Millcreek Township, PA/Diamond Spring; Clat Township, PA/ Ephrata Well; Ephrata Township, PA/West Earl Township Municipal Water Supply; Ephrata, PA | DC; CA |
| Nursery Purified Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number and website to get information on water quality | DC; CA |
| Earth2O 100% Natural Spring Water | Label did not provide information on water purification | Label provides information on water purification: "100% naturally filtered" CA | |
| Essentia Purified Drinking Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number to get information on water quality | CA |
| Refreshe Spring Water | Label did not guide consumers to water quality information | Label provides consumers with a phone number to get information on water quality | CA |
| Refreshe Spring Water | No website available to inform consumers about product | Website available with information on the purification process and water testing | CA |
Table 2: 7 bottled water brands gave customers less information in 2008 than in 2009
| Product | 2008 | 2009 | Labels sent from? |
| Kroger Purified Drinking Water | Label provided information on purification type: Reverse Osmosis | Label did not provide information on purification type | AR (2009 labels from OH and MI were unchanged from 2008) |
| Kirkland Signature Mountain Spring Water | Vague source information available on product label: Polk County, Tennessee | No source information available on product label | NM |
| Acqua Panna Natural Spring Water | Website provides precise source information: Acqua Panna Spring, Tuscany Website provides vague source information: "sources are located 3,700 feet high in the serene Apennines Mountains of Tuscany" | FL | |
| Mountain Valley Spring Water | Website listed purification techniques used to treat the water | Website did not list purification techniques used to treat the water | FL |
| Wegmans Spring Water | Label includes vague information about water source: "the CG Roxane Spring source, Moultonborough, CG Roxane, NH 03254" | Label does not disclose water source | NY |
| New Zealand Eternal Artesian Water- Silica Rich | Label includes vague source information: "New Zealand Aquifer" | No source information disclosed on label | KS |
| Hinckley Springs Spring Water | Vague source information given on product label: Spring, Rock Springs, WI | No source information given on product label | KS |
Table 3: 19 bottled water companies gave customers the same information in 2008 as in 2009
| Product | States labels sent from |
| Aquafina Purified Drinking Water | CA; KS; NE; CT; PA; CO |
| Simply H2O by Berkley & Jensen Purified Water | FL |
| Ethos Water Natural Spring Water | FL |
| Voss Artesian Water | VA |
| Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Water | VA |
| American Fare Purified Water | PA |
| Naturally Preferred Pure Mountain Spring Water | OH |
| Springtime Artesian Water | MS |
| Absopure Natural Spring Water | KS |
| Evamor Alkaline Artesian Water Beverage | MO |
| CVS Gold Emblem Natural Spring Water | DC |
| Iceland Spring Natural Icelandic Spring Water | DC; VA |
| Trader Joe's Mountain Spring Water | IL |
| Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water | CA |
| Contrex Natural Mineral Water | CA |
| Hawaii Water Ultra-Pure Bottled Water | CA |
| Gerolsteiner Natural Mineral Water | DC; CA |
| 365 Everyday Value Electrolyte Enhanced Water | DC; CA |
| Whole Foods Market Italian Still Mineral Water | DC; CA |
