Isn't Perrier Water, Too?

Interestingly, seltzer water, club soda, soda water, tonic water and sparkling water do not fall in the bottled water category; instead, FDA recognizes them as soft drinks. What does FDA classify as bottled water?

• Artesian well water comes from a well utilizing an aquifer that pushes the water up from the lower layers of the earth.

• Mineral water can come from an underground source; minerals and trace elements must come from the source and cannot be added later.

• Spring water sprouts up from an underground formation from which water flows naturally up. It must be collected from the spring or through a borehole tapping the underground formation feeding the spring.

• Well water is water from a hole drilled into the ground and taps into an aquifer.

• Bottled water can also come from municipal sources; it is usually treated before it is bottled.

Still thirsty? Take a swig of our story on bottled water!