Consumers are taking responsibility for their own water in a number of ways, beginning with either bottled or vending machine water. Bottled water can be delivered to your door or purchased along with your groceries. If you want to refill your own bottles, this too can be taken care of at the supermarket. The most economical of these options is to refill your own. If you plan to purchase bottled water, you will be choosing from mineral, spring, artesian or well water.
Mineral water is that which is mined from an underground, protected water supply.
Spring water is defined as water which would flow naturally to the earth s surface, but is taken from its source before reaching sunlight. Artesian water comes from an aquifer higher than the natural water table. Well water is similar in that it too is taken from an aquifer. Other water governed by the FDA includes purified and distilled. The difference is in the processing.