Educational Guide
What Is Natural Mineral Water?
The legal definition, how it differs from spring and purified water, and which brands qualify.
Quick answer
Natural mineral water is water that comes from an officially recognized, protected underground source, is bottled at source, and has a stable composition of dissolved minerals and trace elements. It cannot be chemically treated to change its mineral content — only limited steps like removing iron, sulphur or carbon dioxide are allowed.
The legal definition
In the EU (Directive 2009/54/EC) and similarly in many other regions, "natural mineral water" is a regulated term. To qualify, a water must:
- Originate from a single, protected underground source.
- Be bottled at source — no transport in tankers.
- Have a stable, characteristic mineral composition that does not vary significantly over time.
- Be microbiologically safe at source without disinfection.
- Not be subjected to chemical treatments that change its essential mineral composition.
Natural mineral water vs spring water vs purified water
These categories are often confused but mean different things on the label.
- Natural mineral water — protected source, bottled at source, stable mineral profile. Examples: Gerolsteiner, San Pellegrino, Evian, Vittel, Perrier, Badoit, Ferrarelle.
- Spring water — also from an underground source, but the rules around mineral stability and at-source bottling can be looser. Examples: Poland Spring, Acqua Panna, Mountain Valley, Crystal Geyser.
- Purified water — typically municipal or other source water that has been processed (reverse osmosis, distillation). Examples: Aquafina, Dasani, Smartwater, LIFEWTR.
See our deeper guide: Mineral water vs spring water.
How minerals get into the water
Rain and snowmelt percolate through soil and rock over years or decades, dissolving calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonates, sulphates and trace elements from the geology it passes through. The resulting profile is a fingerprint of the source — which is why each natural mineral water tastes distinct.
High-mineral vs low-mineral natural mineral water
Both ends of the spectrum can be natural mineral water — the term refers to origin and rules, not concentration.
- High-mineral (TDS often >1,500 mg/L) — see High Mineral Content Water. Examples: Gerolsteiner, Apollinaris, Staatl. Fachingen.
- Low-mineral (TDS under 150 mg/L) — see Low Mineral Bottled Water. Examples: Acqua Panna, Volvic, Icelandic Glacial.
Common brand examples
- Gerolsteiner — high-mineral sparkling from the Volcanic Eifel, Germany.
- San Pellegrino — medium-mineral sparkling, Italian Alps.
- Evian — low-medium-mineral still, French Alps.
- Perrier — low-mineral sparkling, southern France.
- Ferrarelle — naturally carbonated, central Italy.
