Purified water is municipal water treated via reverse osmosis or distillation, then often re-mineralized for taste. It's the dominant US bottled-water category by volume — Aquafina, Dasani, LIFEWTR and Smartwater lead the segment.
By FDA definition, purified water must contain no more than 10 mg/L of total dissolved solids. Brands typically use RO, distillation, deionization or a combination, then add a small mineral blend for mouthfeel and pH balance.
| Brand | Origin | pH | TDS | Signature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquafina | USA (PepsiCo) | 6.0 | 4 | RO + ozonation; one of the lowest TDS bottled waters available |
| Dasani | USA (Coca-Cola) | 5.6 | 38 | RO with added magnesium sulfate, potassium chloride, salt |
| LIFEWTR | USA (PepsiCo) | 7.0 | 30 | Purified + electrolytes, premium pH-balanced positioning |
| Smartwater | USA (Coca-Cola) | 7.0 | 40 | Vapor-distilled with added electrolytes |
Not exactly. Distillation is one purification method; purified water can also be made by RO, deionization or carbon filtering. All meet the ≤10 mg/L TDS threshold.
Yes, purified water meets all FDA bottled-water standards. The lack of minerals means it offers no electrolyte benefit, but it's safe and hydrating.
Removing minerals strips natural buffers. Demineralized water absorbs CO₂ from air, forming carbonic acid that lowers pH into the 5.5–6.5 range — see Dasani and Aquafina.
