Types of Water 101

Discover Different Types of Drinking Water and Improve Your Hydration Education

Have you ever shopped for water and wondered which you should buy? You notice the labels say things like Spring Water, Purified Water, Distilled Water, even Alkaline Water. They’re all water right? They all quench your thirst, so why the different names?

Whether choosing water to have at home, on the go or for your office, understanding water types available for purchase and their key differences will make your choice faster and easier. ReadyRefresh offers a variety of drinkable water types and they conveniently deliver bottled water to homes and businesses throughout the United States.

It’s time to quench your thirst for water knowledge. Let’s go!

Spring Water

Sourced from carefully selected springs, bottled spring water features naturally occurring electrolytes for a crisp taste.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), “A spring is the result of an aquifer being filled to the point that the water overflows onto the land surface. They range in size from intermittent seeps, which flow only after much rain, to huge pools flowing hundreds of millions of gallons daily.” To be properly labeled “spring water,” brands must meet stringent standards to ensure safety and quality.

Spring water brands available through ReadyRefresh delivery include Arrowhead^®, Deer Park^®, Ice Mountain^®, ORIGIN^TM, Ozarka^®, Poland Spring^®, Saratoga^®, and Zephyrhills^®. Whichever spring water you choose, you’ll find water with a natural blend of minerals that makes every sip taste fresh. Spring water is available in Still or Sparkling and comes in various sizes for single and multi-serve use to meet your lifestyle in the office, at home and on the go.

Purified Water

Purified bottled water is sourced from municipal water or groundwater and is processed by reverse osmosis, filtration or ozonation. These processes remove bacteria, algae, fungi, parasites, various chemical pollutants, and harmful metals such as lead.²

Just like its name indicates, purified water has been filtered or processed to remove chemical impurities and potential contaminants. ³

Interested in buying purified water? Our Pure Life^®, Pure Life Baby^®, Splash Blast^® and Splash Fizz^® brands offer still, sparkling, and flavored purified water. They come in a variety of sizes to meet your home or office lifestyle, from 8oz, 16.9oz, and 700ml (23.6oz) through 3 Liter (101.4 oz), 1 Gallon and 5-Gallon bottles.

Distilled Water

Distilled water is a type of purified water that has had both contaminants and minerals removed. Distilled water is produced by boiling water, then collecting the steam and converting it back into a liquid.

Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen (H2O) but tap water and bottled water also contain the minerals calcium, magnesium, and sodium. Distilled water specifically lacks minerals. While some enjoy drinking distilled water, it features a "flat" taste that doesn’t appeal to a lot of people. Distilled water has other uses aside from for drinking, especially if you’re trying to avoid mineral buildup, which can damage equipment. Examples of common uses of distilled water include steam irons, humidifiers, cooling systems, medical environments, science labs and more.

ReadyRefresh offers distilled water in 1 or 5-Gallon bottles.

Alkaline Water

Alkaline water is a relatively new option gaining popularity. "Alkaline" indicates the water has a pH level above 7. AC+ION, our newest addition of Alkaline Water, is an ion-charged alkaline water that goes through a multi-stage purification and filtration process. AC+ION is pure tasting and is available in 1 Liter, 3 Liter and 5-Gallon bottles (in select regions).

Congratulations, You’ve Passed Water 101.

Whether you’re new to ReadyRefresh or you’re already a customer, we invite you to choose the types of water that are just right for your home or office, and enjoy the convenience of our delivery service.

Enter your zip code at the top of the page to explore the wide range of available water brands near you. Class dismissed!"

1 Statista: Sales volume of bottled water in the United States from 2010 to 2021 >>

2 National Library of Medicine: Innovations in nanotechnology for water treatment >>

3 USGS: Springs and the Water Cycle >>