Artesian water is naturally extracted from a pressurized well, while spring water is often mechanically pumped from an unconfined aquifer. Artesian water is considered a premium form of naturally pure water, but may not be tested as frequently as tap water.
Artesian bottled water is a naturally pure form of water extracted from an artesian well. Many consumers compare it favorably to natural spring water in terms of flavor and clarity. The main difference between the two types of water is that spring water is often mechanically pumped from an unconfined aquifer, whereas artesian water is naturally pumped from a pressurized and confined artesian well.
An aquifer is a natural collection point for groundwater, often more like a sponge than a flowing underground river. Some types of groundwater are contained between layers of soft rock, which means that a bottler would have to pump the water mechanically to overcome the natural force of gravity. The underground water table is not under pressure, as the material around the water does not keep it confined.
On the other hand, an artesian aquifer is generally surrounded by harder layers of rock. When a drill breaks into the confined aquifer, the water is naturally pushed up by the pressure. As additional groundwater works its way into the confined aquifer through gravity, the pressure is maintained and the artesian well continues to flow upward to the surface.
Artesian bottled water isn’t much different chemically than other forms of bottled water, but the bottler didn’t have to install expensive mechanical pumps to extract it for bottling. These savings are generally not passed on to the consumer, however, as artesian water is often marketed as a premium form of naturally pure water. There are only a small number of artesian aquifers that have been drilled for commercial bottled water purposes and most of them are well regulated by their countries of origin.
There have been cases of unacceptably large numbers of coliform bacteria in some Artesian bottled water supplies, but it is still generally considered safe for human consumption. The fact that artesian wells derive their water from an aquifer confined deep in the aquifer suggests that it has been naturally protected from agricultural runoff and other contaminants commonly found in unconfined aquifers closer to the surface.
Artesian bottled water isn’t necessarily protected from harmful bacteria buildup, and many bottled waters are only tested on a weekly basis, not on a daily basis like municipal tap water sources.
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