|
|
The ultimate source of water is always rain and the places where the water emerges or is extracted from the ground are Spring, Artesian, Well, Rain, Glacier, Iceberg, Lake Stream or Reservoir, Deep Sea.
Spring
The best tasting spring water comes from a protected, free-flowing spring and is treated as little as possible during its bottling process. Geologists characterize spring water as flowing through the surface of the earth with no help from machines. However, water from a borehole (a Well) drilled next to a spring can also be considered spring water if - a hydraulic link between the spring and the borehole can be demonstrated; water from both the borehole and the spring are chemically identical; the borehole does not prevent the spring's natural water flow and does not open the aquifer to surface water. Using a spring's natural opening and allowing the spring's own pressure to bring the water to the surface is preferable.
Artesian
When an artesian aquifer is tapped, pressure in that aquifer will force the water up the well without any assistance or mechanical aid. The aquifer is typically surrounded by sandstone or other porous rocks or sediment and the pressure built up in a sloping aquifer will force water to the surface, sometimes creating a permanent fountain. Artesian water matches spring water's range of characteristics.
Well
Mechanical pumps are used to bring water from the aquifer to the surface. Well water is not highly regarded but in actual fact many blind tastings favour well water over spring and artesian. Well water's composition is similar to spring water.
Rain
While rain water throughout history has been used for irrigation and drinking water, it is generally collected on rooftops and stored in tanks. Bottled rainwater is young with very low mineral content and must be harvested and stored carefully to prevent contamination.
Glacier
Glacier water is old water, often formed over seventeen thousand years ago. Glacier water is melted prior to bottling or harvested just before it runs into the ocean. It is typically extremely low in mineral content. Contamination is a concern with glacial water.
Iceberg
Some twelve to fifteen thousand years ago, snow, free from any industrial pollution, compacted to form very large glacial walls which eventually became icebergs and were subjected to modern air pollution. therefore they may be contaminated. Nowadays, icebergs are melted and bottled after being towed from their origins to shore.
Lake, Stream or Reservoir
Much of our municipal water comes from reservoirs, lakes or streams and is highly purified by microfiltration and ozonation.
Deep Sea
Many thousands of years past, icebergs near Greenland melted and as that water was of a different salinity and temperature than the seawater surrounding it, this melted water sank to the ocean floor and now circles Earth every several thousand years. Access to this water is provided via a pipeline reaching 914 metres into the ocean.
|
|
