Not all bottled water is as “pure” as the label makes it seem. Independent testing has repeatedly found that some popular brands contain concerning levels of arsenic, PFAS (“forever chemicals”), microplastics, and heavy metals. Long-term exposure to these contaminants has been linked to hormone disruption, immune stress, developmental issues, and increased cancer risk. Some of the brands most often raising red flags in consumer testing include Starkey, Peñafiel, Fiji and certain sparkling mineral waters.
Water Bottle Brands You May Want to Avoid
1) Starkey Spring Water
This is one of the most concerning bottled waters ever flagged in major testing. Reports found arsenic levels approaching or even slightly exceeding federal safety limits. Chronic arsenic exposure has been associated with skin damage, nervous system issues, and long-term cancer concerns.
2) Peñafiel
This mineral water was also flagged for elevated arsenic and was temporarily pulled from parts of the U.S. market after testing concerns surfaced. Many people mistakenly confuse this with San Pellegrino, but the original arsenic controversy centered on Peñafiel.
3) Some Sparkling Waters in General
Sparkling waters can sometimes test higher for PFAS and trace contaminants depending on the source water and bottling process. The issue is often the natural spring source rather than carbonation itself.
What about Fiji?
Crazy that one of the most popular “luxury” waters may come with hidden contaminants.
FIJI has faced concerns over microplastics, BPA, and possible PFAS traces, while like many bottled waters in plastic, it may also contain thousands of nano- and microplastic particles from the bottle itself. Recent legal complaints have specifically focused on its “natural” marketing despite independent testing finding plastic-related contaminants.
The Safest Bottled Water Choices
If you still buy bottled water, the cleaner choices tend to be purified waters filtered by reverse osmosis and packaged in glass whenever possible.
- Mountain Valley (glass)
- Acqua Panna (glass)
- Voss (glass)
- Icelandic Glacial (glass)
- San Pellegrino (glass sparkling)
- Perrier (glass sparkling)
- Saratoga Spring Water (glass)
- Antipodes (glass)
These brands are generally considered lower risk for arsenic based on widely shared testing results, though reducing plastic exposure is still ideal.
Best Water Filter With No Plastic
The best long-term solution is to skip bottled water entirely and use a stainless steel gravity filter with ceramic filtration elements. This reduces plastic contact while helping remove heavy metals, chlorine, sediment, and many common contaminants.
Best overall options:
- Doulton British Berkefeld stainless steel gravity filter – here
- Big Berkey stainless steel gravity filter
- BOROUX Legacy stainless steel filter system
| Feature | Doulton | Berkey | BOROUX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel body | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Minimal plastic contact | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ceramic filter option | Yes | Optional | No |
| Best for heavy metals | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Best for families | Great | Great | Great |
Bottom line: the biggest concerns usually come from spring or mineral waters with inconsistent testing, plus any water stored in plastic long-term. For the cleanest low-toxin lifestyle upgrade, a stainless steel gravity filter with ceramic elements is one of the safest choices.