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Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of Bottled Spring Water in the United States

Hydrogeology and geochemistry of bottled spring water in the United States
Publication year: 2025
Number of pages: 100

978-1-77470-115-7
https://doi.org/10.62592/DWMH1044

Citation:

Chapelle, F.H., (2025). Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of Bottled Spring Water in the United States. The Groundwater Project. https://doi.org/10.62592/DWMH1044.

 

Author:

Francis H. Chapelle, U.S. Geological Survey, USA

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Released: 20 February 2025

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Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of Bottled Spring Water in the United States

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Description

Bottled spring water is one of the most popular beverages in the world.  The reasons for this popularity include its convenience, its wide availability, and its perceived purity. In addition, bottled water produced from different springs contain differing kinds and amounts of dissolved minerals and gases.  That, in turn, can produce subtly different flavors in water produced from different springs that many people find appealing.  Those differences reflect a number of factors including the chemical composition of the rocks or sediments through which the groundwater, the nature of the microbial processes occurring in those rocks or sediments, and the hydrologic setting of the groundwater systems themselves.  The purpose of this book is to examine how those factors combine to produce spring water of differing chemical character and thus their desirability for bottling and human consumption. Thousands of springs around the world are sources for water-bottling operations.  For practical reasons, the scope of this investigation will be limited to Europe and the United States. However, the approach and methods illustrated here are applicable to any large region on earth.  The methodology used in this book begins by defining the different groundwater regions of the United States as originally identified by Meinzer (1923) and as modified by Heath (1984). Next, the geologic settings of each region are described as they affect the hydrologic and geochemical properties of the groundwater systems they contain. Finally, the unique hydrologic and geochemical characteristics of selected springs used for individual water-bottling operations are described.

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Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 What is Meant by Bottled Spring Water

2 WHAT DOES “WATER QUALITY” MEAN?

2.1 The Aesthetics of Water Quality

3 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

4 GROUNDWATER REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES

4.1 Northeast and Superior Uplands Region

4.1.1 Groundwater of the Northeast and Superior Uplands Region
4.1.2 Saratoga Springs
4.1.3 Hydrology and Geochemistry of Saratoga Springs
4.1.4 Poland Spring
4.1.5 Hydrology and Geochemistry of Poland Spring
4.1.6 Bottled Water Prospects in the Northeast and Superior Uplands Region

4.2 Western Mountain Ranges Region

4.2.1 Groundwater Chemistry of the Western Mountain Ranges
4.2.2 Groundwater Chemistry of Mount Shasta
4.2.3 Water Chemistry Variation in the Western Mountain Ranges Region
4.2.4 Bottled Water Prospects for the Western Mountain Ranges Region

4.3 Alluvial Basins Region

4.3.1 Hydrology and Geochemistry of Alluvial Basins
4.3.2 Hydrology and Geochemistry of the Phoenix Basin
4.3.3 Hydrology and Geochemistry of Oak Canyon
4.3.4 Bottled Water Prospects in the Alluvial Basins Groundwater Region

4.4 Columbia Lava Plateau Region

4.4.1 Groundwater Chemistry of the Columbia Lava Plateau Region
4.4.2 Bottled Water Prospects in the Columbia Lava Plateau Region

4.5 Colorado Plateau And Wyoming Basin Region

4.5.1 Groundwater Chemistry of the Colorado Plateau and Wyoming Basin Region
4.5.2 Bottled Water Prospects in the Colorado Plateau and Wyoming Basin Region

4.6 High Plains Region

4.6.1 Groundwater Chemistry of the High Plains Region
4.6.2 Bottled Water Prospects in High Plains Region

4.7 Non-Glaciated Central Region

4.7.1 Groundwater Chemistry of the Non-glaciated Central Region
4.7.2 Bottled Water Prospects in the Non-glaciated Central Region

4.8 Glaciated Central Region

4.8.1 Groundwater Chemistry of the Glaciated Central Region
4.8.2 Bottled Water Prospects in the Glaciated Central Region

4.9 Piedmont Blue Ridge Region

4.9.1 Groundwater Chemistry of the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Region
4.9.2 Bottled Water Prospects in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Region

4.10 The Atlantic And Gulf Coastal Plain Region

4.10.1 Hydrology and Groundwater Chemistry of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Region
4.10.2 Hydrology and Geochemistry of Camp Holly Springs, Virginia
4.10.3 History of Healing Spring, South Carolina
4.10.4 Hydrology and Geochemistry of Healing Springs, South Carolina

4.11 The Southeast Coastal Plain Region

4.11.1 Hydrology and Groundwater Chemistry of the Southeast Coastal Plain Region
4.11.2 History of Ginnie Springs
4.11.3 Hydrology and Geochemistry of Ginnie Spring, Florida

4.12 The Hawaiian Islands Region

4.12.1 Hydrology and Groundwater Chemistry of the Hawaiian Island Region
4.12.2 Bottled Water Prospects of the Hawaiian Island Region

4.13 The Alaska Region

4.13.1 Hydrogeology and Groundwater Chemistry of the Alaskan Region
4.13.2 Prospects for Bottled Spring Water in the Alaskan Region

5 WRAP-UP

6 EXERCISES

7 REFERENCES

8 EXERCISE SOLUTIONS

9 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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