Volcanic water is filtered through layers of volcanic rock — typically basalt, lava or volcanic ash — which deposit silica, bicarbonate and trace minerals. Waiakea, Volvic and Borjomi are the category's most iconic brands.
Volcanic water filters through porous volcanic rock formations, which scrub it of contaminants while leaching silica and bicarbonate. The result is typically naturally alkaline, mineral-balanced water with a distinctive smooth-to-effervescent profile.
| Brand | Origin | pH | TDS | Signature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waiakea | USA (Hawaii) | 8.0 | 95 | Filtered through Mauna Loa volcanic rock, naturally alkaline |
| Volvic | France (Auvergne) | 7.0 | 130 | Filtered through six layers of volcanic rock in Auvergne, neutral pH |
| Borjomi | Georgia (Caucasus) | 8.1 | 5500 | Naturally carbonated, very high bicarbonate from volcanic geology |
Volcanic rock — especially basalt and lava — releases bicarbonate and silica into water as it filters through. Bicarbonate buffers pH upward, producing naturally alkaline water (7.5–8.5).
It varies enormously. Volvic is soft (130 mg/L TDS); Waiakea is moderate (~95); Borjomi is extremely mineralized (~5,500 mg/L). All carry signature silica or bicarbonate from their volcanic source.
Yes — it filters through thousands of feet of porous Mauna Loa volcanic rock on the Big Island of Hawaii before being bottled at source.
