Bottled water from store brands like Walmart's Great Value is a popular, budget-friendly option for many consumers. Yet, with ongoing conversations about water quality, contaminants, and the source of bottled water, it's important to understand what's really in the bottle. To evaluate how healthy Great Value water is, we need to look beyond the label and examine its purification process, the mineral content, potential contaminants, and a growing concern surrounding microplastics.
The Great Value Purification Process
Great Value purified water is, for the most part, exactly what its name suggests: purified. It's important to understand that purified water is often sourced from a municipal supply, or tap water, which is then put through a rigorous purification process. A common bottler for Great Value is Niagara Bottling LLC, a major third-party producer for many store brands. Walmart’s website confirms this, mentioning suppliers like Niagara Water. The purification steps commonly include:
- Reverse Osmosis (RO): This is a key step where water is forced through a semipermeable membrane to remove dissolved solids, chemicals, and contaminants. This is what strips the water down to a very pure, but also demineralized, state.
- Carbon Filtration: Often used before or after reverse osmosis, this process helps to remove chlorine, other chemicals, and organic materials that can affect taste and odor.
- Mineral Addition: After purification, minerals like calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and potassium bicarbonate are added back for flavor. This is done to give the water a more pleasant taste, as highly purified water can often taste flat.
Quality Control and Contaminant Concerns
Walmart maintains that its Great Value water meets or exceeds federal and state regulations. However, independent lab testing provides a more detailed picture. A 2024 analysis of Great Value purified water found that while inorganic contaminants were very low, some disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were detected. The levels found were well below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 80 parts per billion (ppb) but did exceed some independent health-protective benchmarks. DBPs like chloroform are a result of municipal water chlorination and are an area of concern for some health-conscious consumers. It's crucial to note that this issue is not exclusive to Great Value but is a potential byproduct of the purification process itself, as some bottled waters start from a municipal source.
The Mineral Profile: A Balancing Act
One of the main trade-offs with purified water is the removal of naturally occurring minerals. While Great Value water has minerals added back for taste, the overall mineral content is low. Long-term consumption of demineralized water isn't considered harmful for most people who get sufficient minerals from their diet, but it's a consideration. The mineral content also influences the water's pH level. A test found Great Value water to have a slightly acidic pH of 6.04, which is not unusual for purified water. For comparison, neutral pH is 7, and the average for most bottled water is slightly higher.
The Microplastic Question
The health impacts of microplastics and even smaller nanoplastics, are an emerging field of research. A recent landmark study has detected an alarming amount of nanoplastics in bottled water. As with virtually all bottled water brands, Great Value is no exception. Its bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. While these bottles are BPA-free, tiny plastic particles can still leach into the water, a process that can be accelerated by heat exposure. The best way to reduce exposure to microplastics from bottled water is to limit consumption of single-use plastic bottles.
Great Value vs. The Competition: A Comparison Table
| Feature | Great Value Purified Water | Typical U.S. Tap Water | Premium Bottled Water (e.g., Spring) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | Municipal water | Municipal reservoir/groundwater | Protected underground source |
| Purification | Reverse Osmosis, Carbon Filtration, Mineral Addition | Filtered, Disinfected with Chlorine | Filtered (minimal), sometimes UV treated |
| Mineral Content | Low, with added minerals for taste | Varies significantly by location | Retains natural minerals from source |
| pH Level | Slightly acidic (~6.04) | Varies by location | Often more neutral or alkaline |
| Contaminants | Very low levels, but some DBPs found in tests | Varies; regulated by EPA but can have trace contaminants | Minimal if properly sourced and treated |
| Microplastics | Likely present in plastic bottles | Possible, depending on source and piping | Likely present if in plastic bottles |
Consumer Reviews: What Do People Say?
Customer reviews offer a real-world perspective on Great Value water, and they are quite mixed. Some consumers praise the clean, crisp taste, especially when compared to tap water. For them, it offers a budget-friendly way to stay hydrated. On the other hand, a number of reviewers complain about recent batches having an off-putting taste, sometimes described as chemical or plastic-like. Several customers have also voiced complaints about changes to the gallon jug packaging, claiming the new design is harder to handle and pour, especially for those with physical limitations. These taste issues could be due to variations in the bottling process or, more broadly, the impact of plastic packaging on water over time.
Is Great Value Water Right for You? The Bottom Line
When considering how healthy Great Value water is, the answer is complex. From a regulatory standpoint, the water is safe, having been purified to meet or exceed federal and state standards. It offers a clean, consistent, and affordable option for hydration, especially when local tap water quality is questionable or inconsistent. The key is that it is a purified water, not a spring or mineral water, meaning its mineral content is low. The potential health impacts of microplastics found in all plastic bottled waters are still being studied, but it’s a concern to be aware of. Ultimately, for most healthy individuals, Great Value water is a safe and economical choice, but for those seeking higher mineral content or wishing to avoid single-use plastic, there are alternatives. For more specific information on water quality, you can consult the official reports from bottlers like Niagara, which are linked on the Walmart corporate site.
