More bottled waters claim springs as their origin than any other type of source. Spring waters vary widely in their mineral composition and TDS level, both of which are influenced by the geology of the local area. Some springs naturally carbonate the water. The besttasting spring water comes from a protected, free-flowing spring and is treated as little as possible during the bottling process. The actual definition of spring water is controversial. Geologists characterize it as water flowing through the surface of the earth with no help from machines. But water from a borehole (a well) drilled next to the spring can also be considered spring waterby the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, at least if a hydraulic link between the spring and the borehole can be shown, the water from both the borehole and the spring are chemically identical, the borehole does not prevent the spring’s natural flow, and the borehole does not open the aquifer to surface water. Using a spring’s natural orifice, however, is preferable. When the water’s own pressure brings it to the surface, that pressure can prevent contaminants in ground and surface water from mixing with the spring water. Boreholes may endanger a spring’s life, too, as the volume of water extracted by a borehole is higher than the spring’s natural capacity.
Spring water contains less than 250 ppm total dissolved solids.
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