October 2005 |
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Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / BeveragesWater GlossaryWater Terms & Definitions
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Aquifer: An underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, or permeable mixtures of unconsolidated materials like gravel, sand, silt, or clay.
Artesian Aquifer. An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer whose water is pressurized. Water will thus flow out of an artesian well without pumping. Artesian wells are named after the former province of Artois in France, where the first one was drilled by Carthusian monks in 1126.
Artesian Water: Well water from an artesian aquifer, a water-bearing underground layer of rock or sand in which the water level stands above the top of the aquifer. Fiji is an artesian water.
Balneotherapy: The treatment of illness by bathing and the drinking of waters, including including spa treatments such as hot baths, natural vapor baths, mud baths and other applications. The benefit comes from the rich mineral content in particular spa waters that are present in high enough quantities to exert a therapeutic influence, such as arsenic, bromine, iodine, lithium, manganese, potassium, radium, selenium, silica, and sulfur, which can be absorbed through the skin.
Bottled Water: Drinking water, usually spring water or mineral water but also distilled water, sold in a sealed, portable bottles. The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) defines bottled water as water sealed in a sanitary container, to be sold for human consumption. This definition includes flavored, carbonated and non-carbonated waters. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, bottled water consumption in the U.S. has surpassed that of milk, coffee, and beer.
Carbonation: Carbonation occurs when carbon dioxide is dissolved in water. Water and gaseous carbon dioxide react to form a dilute solution of carbonic acid. This process generates the “fizz” in carbonated water and sparkling mineral water (also the head to beer and the cork pop and bubbles to champagne and sparkling wine). Carbonation occurs naturally, e.g. when underground carbon dioxide carbonates well water; or it can be done artificially, by dissolving carbon dioxide under pressure into water. Club soda and seltzer are forms carbonated water made artificially from tap water. Effervescent (sparkling) mineral water is also carbonated water.
Carbonic Acid: The combination of water and gaseous carbon dioxide that generates the effervescence in carbonated (sparkling) water.
Carbonated Water or Club Soda or Seltzer: Water treated with carbon dioxide to make it bubbly. These are bottled tap waters that are enhanced by carbonation. Two common types of carbonated water are club soda ad seltzer. Seltzer is salt-free; club soda has added added salt.
Distilled Water: Pure water free from dissolved salts. Formerly made by distillation, now produced chemically by demineralization.
Effervescent: Another term for sparkling water. Technically, effervescence is the escape of gas from a liquid solution.
EPA: The Environmental Protection Agency of the U.S. Issues National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs or primary standards), legally enforceable standards that apply to public water systems. Primary standards protect public health by limiting the levels of contaminants in drinking water. The EPA recommends secondary standards to water systems but does not require systems to comply.
Fine Print: More than a few products called “mineral water” are not natural mineral water. They can be tap water that has been distilled, with or without minerals added in. The two largest brands of water in the U.S., Aquafina and Dasani (produced by Coke and Pepsi bottlers) fall into this category. It is important to read the fine print on labels to know what you are buying.
Fine Water: A term referring to single origin bottled mineral waters, as opposed to distilled bottle waters (e.g. Dasani, Aquafina, Ethos).
Finewaters Balance: A guide developed by Michael Mascha of Finewaters.com to classify the different kinds of mineral water. It is divided among Still and four degrees of intensity of sparkling water (from right to left): Effervescent, Light, Classic and Bold.
Examples include:
Groundwater: Water flowing within aquifers below the water table. The water flows through the pore spaces in unconsolidated sediments and the fractures of rocks. Groundwater is replenished from precipitation, streams and rivers that seeps into the aquifer, and eventually flows to, the surface naturally, generally emerging at springs.It is estimated that the volume of groundwater is fifty times that of surface freshwater; the icecaps and glaciers are the only larger reservoir of fresh water on earth.
Hardness or Hard Water: Hardness refers to the presence of calcium and magnesium in the water, i.e., how calcareous the water is. Using the European Community standards measured in French grades (F), waters with a hardness of less than 30 F, are considered “soft,” i.e. moderately calcareous. Numerous epidemiology studies in many countries have concluded that populations consuming hard water containing calcium and/or magnesium have a lower risk of certain types of cardiovascular disease. A 2004 committee report to the World Health Organization concluded that the benefits hypothesis was probably valid, especially for magnesium in drinking water, but a more detailed scientific assessment is necessary.
High Mineral Content: Mineral water with Total Dissolved Solids greater than 1,500 parts per million (ppm).
Low Mineral Content: Mineral water with Total Dissolved Solids below 500 parts per million (ppm).
Mineral-Enhanced Water or Polished Water: A water whose chemistry is artificially altered; a processed water, rather than a natural water.
Minerals: Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. Minerals range in composition from pure elements and simple salts to very complex silicates. Minerals commonly found in water are calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfate (the salt of sulphur) and other sulphur compounds, and trace elements such as iron, iodine, copper, fluoride or zinc. Minerals provide nutritional value and can have therapeutic value. In addition to minerals, effervescent waters contain gases, including carbon dioxide.
Mineral Water: Spring water that has a higher mineral content, no less than 250 parts per million of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value. Mineral water is distinguishable by its specific content of these trace elements and minerals, giving each water a unique taste. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the water. Mineral water can be prepared or can occur naturally, and can be still or effervescent (prepared or natural). There are over 2,800 brands of mineral water available commercially worldwide, and the industry generates an estimated $22 billion in sales. Examples include Apollinaris, Evian, Perrier and San Pellegrino. See also Natural Water and Source.
Mouthfeel: The tactile sensation of food (including beverages) in the mouth.
Municipal Water: Municipal water, or tap water, is processed and monitored by governing agencies with the same or greater scrutiny as bottled water. Municipal water supplies are supervised closely to adhere to EPA rules for contaminants. The water is first disinfected with chlorine. Fluoride is added for cavity protection, as well as phosphate, which is used to help isolate iron and manganese, which can corrode pipes without the addition of phosphate. While bottled water may have a better scent and flavor, it is no better or worse safety-wise than tap.
Natural Sparkling Water: Water that is naturally effervescent and has been treated with carbon dioxide, but retains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had when it emerged from the source.
Natural Water or Naturally Bottled Water: Water bottled exactly as it exists in its source, with no treatment or alteration. As distinguished from commodity products (distilled municipal waters like Aquafina, Dasani and others) these waters are very special and express their terroir. They are bottled at the source and treated as minimally as necessary. Some are naturally carbonated. All have a unique composition of minerals, based on their journey through the earth, that dictates their flavor: some are flavorless and some taste of heavy concentrations of mineral salts. Some waters are as young as 30 days old and some more than 20,000 years. Many have long been associated with curative powers due to their unique composition of minerals and trace elements. The emphasis is on the specialness of water and its source: to call it “bottled,” the bottle is just the means of getting it to you.
Nitrate. Nitrate is an inorganic compound; its chemical symbol is NO3. High levels ingested are potentially dangerous. Common sources of nitrate contamination into the water supply include fertilizers, animal wastes, septic tanks, municipal sewage treatment systems and decaying plant debris. It is highly leachable and readily moves with water through the soil; with excessive rainfall or over-irrigation, nitrate may eventually reach groundwater. Nitrate in water is colorless, odorless, and tasteless and is undetectable without testing. Water naturally contains less than 1 milligram of nitrate per liter (1 mg/l): The nitrate level on a bottled water label is a good indication of the purity of the water: higher levels of nitrate indicate that the water has been contaminated in some way. The U.S. federal drinking water standards for nitrates is set at 10 milligrams per liter (this standard has been criticized because it provides no margin of safety, ignores potentially sensitive populations and ignores other potential health affects of nitrates). Nitrate can be removed from drinking water by distillation, reverse osmosis and ion exchange. Home treatment equipment using these processes is available; however, carbon adsorption filters, mechanical filters and standard water softeners do not remove nitrate or nitrogen, and boiling water will increase rather than decrease the nitrate concentration. According to the World Health Organization, most adults ingest 20 to 70 milligrams of nitrate-nitrogen per day, mostly from foods like lettuce, celery, beets and spinach. Nitrate exposure from foods is not thought to be harmful.
PET: PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic resin and a form of polyester. PET is the type of plastic labeled with the code “1” on or near the bottom of bottles and containers. It is commonly used to package soft drinks, water, juice, and other products. Manufacturers use PET instead of glass because of its strength, thermostability and transparency. Benefits to customers include lower expense, lightweight, resealable, and shatter-resistant and recyclable. The only concern with the reuse of PET bottles is that when used for refilling, bacteria can grow if bottles are not properly washed and dried.
pH: The PH value indicates the degree of alkalinity or acidity of the water. The pH scale ranges between 0 and 14. Water with a pH of 7 is neutral; a pH of less than 7 is acidic; a pH greater than 7 is alkaline. If the water has a pH of less than 4 the water may have a sour taste. Water with a pH greater than 8.5 has an unpleasant taste.
Polished: Mineral-enhanced water, i.e., any water whose chemistry is artificially altered for whatever reason. A polished water is a processed water.
Potable Water: Any water consumable by humans; drinking water.
Processed Water: One that has been altered or treated, i.e., not a natural water.
Pure Water: In a textbook definition, water in its “pure form” is odorless, tasteless, and nearly colorless (it has a slight hint of blue). However, fine mineral waters can have tastes and odors reflective of their acknowledged levels of total dissolved solids. While this does not make them technically “pure,” they can be in fact more beneficial and healthful than “pure” water; and in fact are preferred to “pure” water for these reasons.
Purified Water: Surface water or groundwater, generally municipal water, that has been treated for human consumption by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or other process. Mineral salts are added in the bottling process. It is not a natural product. Aquafina and Dasani are examples.
Shelf Life: In the U.S. bottles are date-stamped for two years, but this acts as a SKU number and is mainly for stock rotation purposes. It does not imply that the product is compromised after that date; the FDA has not established a shelf life for bottled water. As long as bottled water is packaged in accordance with FDA processing and good manufacturing practices, the product should have an indefinite shelf life. Bottled water should be stored in an unopened containers at room temperature (or cooler), out of direct sunlight and away from solvents and chemicals such as gasoline, paint thinners and dry cleaning chemicals.
Single Origin Water: Water that is bottled at a natural source, generally a spring. Other kinds of bottled water include distilled and enhanced tap waters like Aquafina and Dasani, club soda and seltzer.
Source: Traditionally mineral waters were used or consumed at their source, often referred to as “taking the waters” or “taking the cure.” The sources were called spas, baths or wells: “spa” when the water was consumed and bathed in, “bath” when the water was bathed in but not generally consumed, and “well” when the water was consumed but not generally bathed in. Often an active tourist center would grow up around a mineral water site—the city of Bath, England was a popular destination in Roman times. This visitor attraction resulted in spa towns and hydropathic hotels or hydros. In modern times it is more common for mineral waters to be bottled at source for distribution. Traveling to the source for direct access to the water is now uncommon, and in many cases not possible because of exclusive commercial use.
Spa Water: A water taken from a source at a spa, a place where water was believed to have special health-giving properties. From ancient times, spas grew up around sources of water, usually a mineral spring or a hot spring. The word comes from the Belgian town of Spa. Modern spas may be nowhere near sources of water, but offer hot tubs, whirlpools, or similar warm-water hydromassage facilities.
Specialty Water: Another term for the category of fine bottled waters.
Spring: A spring is a point where water flows out of the ground, and thus where the aquifer meets the ground surface. Depending on how constant the source of the water is—e.g., snowmelt or rainfall that infiltrates the earth—springs can be ephemeral/intermittent, perennial/continuous, or artesian. When they leave the ground they may form pools or springs.
Spring Water: Water taken from a natural spring. Spring water comes from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth into the spring. Commercially, spring water is bottled water that comes from an approved source (such as a natural spring) that originates from a geologically and physically protected underground source. Spring water is differentiated from mineral water in that it has a very low level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), or minerals. Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water and Starbuck’s Ethos are two examples.
Still Water: Water with no carbonic acid or carbonation.
Sparkling Water or Carbonated Water: Gaseous or "Con Gas": In a natural sparkling water, magma below the aquifer continuously gives off carbon dioxide. Artificially-carbonated water uses Carbon Dioxide, and Sodium Bicarbonate.
Surface Water: Literally, water sources on the surface, like rivers, streams, and reservoirs; as opposed to underground aquifers and underground lakes.
Tap Water: Tap water is obtained from a variety of surface water or groundwater sources, and treated to contaminants from to make it safe and palatable for human consumption. A wide variety of technologies may be used, depending on the raw water source, contaminants present, standards to be met, and available finances. Tap water is a product of developed nations, requiring a massive infrastructure of piping, pumps and water purification plants. Spring water requires only bringing a container to fill at the spring—and transporting it back to the home. However, tap water costs the consumer a thousandth of the cost of bottled water. In the U.S., municipal water supplies are treated with chlorine for purification and fluoride to prevent tooth decay (about 2/3 of U.S. cities fluoridate their water supplies). However, these chemicals add tastes to the water that lead many consumers to prefer bottled drinking water.
TDS or Total Dissolved Solids: The percentage of minerals dissolved in the water. Total Dissolved Solids consist mainly of carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates, phosphates, nitrates, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, and a few others. They do not include gases, colloids, or sediment. They represent the total mineral content present in a water excluding gases. Mineral water with less than 500 milligrams per liter is considered “light”; waters with over 1000 parts per liter are considered “highly” mineralized. Bottled water containing not less than 250 parts per million TDS may be labeled as mineral water. If the TDS content of mineral water is below 500 parts per million (ppm) it is considered to have low mineral content; if it is greater than 1,500 ppm, it is considered to have high mineral content.* High levels of minerals in water TDS can sometimes produce a metallic flavor, especially if you’re not accustomed to high mineral content waters. TDS is usually measured in ppm (parts per million) or mg/l.
*Seawater has a TDS of around 34,000 ppm.
Water: A word derived from the Old English word wæter (in German wasser, in Russian voda [transliterated]). See pure water.
Water Enthusiast: An involved consumer, or connoisseur of, of fine waters.
Water Menu: Analogous to a wine list, a selection of waters that matches the direction of the food menu created by the chef.
Well Water: Water taken from a well—a hole bored, drilled or otherwise constructed in the ground—which is fed by a water aquifer, e.g. a spring or river that can be above or below ground. A well is commonly made by boring into the earth and installing a pipe or tube (or in older days, masonry), into an aquifer, through which water can be drawn.
© Copyright 2005-2010 Lifestyle Direct Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. Images are the copyright of their respective owners.
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From aquifers deep beneath the earth...to your glass. Photo by