Essentia Water's Multi-Stage Purification Process
The short answer is no, Essentia Water is not chlorinated. The long answer involves a detailed look into the company's proprietary three-step purification and ionization process. While many municipal water sources use chlorination to disinfect water, Essentia's process is designed to specifically remove chlorine and other impurities to achieve a high level of purity.
The journey to a bottle of Essentia begins with a source of municipal water, which is treated in three distinct steps to transform it into its final ionized state. This comprehensive approach ensures that contaminants, including any residual chlorine from the initial municipal source, are effectively eliminated.
Step 1: Microfiltration and Reverse Osmosis
The initial purification stage involves a combination of microfiltration and reverse osmosis (RO).
- Microfiltration: This is a physical filtration step that removes visible and sub-visual suspended particles from the water. It acts as the first barrier against larger impurities.
- Activated Carbon Filtration: Next, the water passes through activated carbon filters. This crucial stage is responsible for removing organic chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, and, most importantly, chlorine and chlorine byproducts, which also improves the taste and odor.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO): Following carbon filtration, the water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane at high pressure. This process is extremely effective, capable of removing over 99% of dissolved salts, metals, heavy metals, organics, bacteria, and viruses. It is this stage that reduces the water's Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) to less than 10 parts per million (ppm), ensuring a very low mineral content before the next steps.
Step 2: Electrolyte Infusion
After achieving a high level of purity through reverse osmosis, the water is nearly devoid of minerals. To create its signature smooth taste and complement the body's natural mineral balance, Essentia infuses the purified water with a proprietary blend of electrolytes. These are added in trace amounts and consist of sodium bicarbonate, dipotassium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, and calcium chloride.
Step 3: Ionization
The final step is ionization, a process that further refines the water's properties. In this stage, a proprietary process removes bitter-tasting acidic ions, resulting in water with an alkaline pH of 9.5 or higher. It is a key part of what Essentia calls its "overachieving H2O".
Comparison: Essentia Water vs. Chlorinated Tap Water
This table highlights the key differences in how Essentia Water and typical chlorinated tap water are processed and what that means for the final product.
| Feature | Essentia Water | Typical Chlorinated Tap Water |
|---|---|---|
| Chlorination | None, explicitly removed during purification. | Disinfected with chlorine to kill bacteria and viruses. |
| Purification Process | Multi-stage, including microfiltration, activated carbon, and reverse osmosis. | Filtered, then disinfected, typically with chlorine or chloramines. |
| Taste & Odor | Clean and smooth, with no chlorine taste or smell. | Can have a noticeable chlorine taste or odor, especially near treatment plants. |
| pH Level | Alkaline, 9.5 or higher due to ionization and electrolytes. | Typically neutral (pH 7), but can vary based on the source and treatment. |
| Electrolytes | Infused with added electrolytes for taste. | Contains naturally occurring minerals, but not a standardized electrolyte blend. |
| Trace Contaminants | Tested to be 99.9% pure, with contaminants like heavy metals removed. | Can contain trace amounts of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) formed by chlorine reacting with organic matter. |
| Regulations | Regulated by the FDA as a food product, with strict standards. | Regulated by the EPA under the Safe Drinking Water Act. |
What are Disinfection Byproducts?
It is important to understand why the removal of chlorine is a key selling point for bottled water brands like Essentia. When chlorine is used to treat water, it can react with naturally occurring organic matter to create compounds known as Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs).
While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets limits on DBPs in municipal water systems to ensure safety, some individuals prefer to avoid them. Essentia's method of purification, which avoids relying on residual chlorine, helps ensure these byproducts are not a concern. This provides an alternative for consumers who are sensitive to the taste of chlorine or simply prefer water treated differently.
Why Bottled Water Companies Remove Chlorine
There are several reasons why bottled water companies go to great lengths to remove chlorine, even if their source is municipal water:
- Flavor Profile: Chlorine has a distinct taste and odor that many people find unappealing. Removing it allows for a cleaner, smoother-tasting final product that consumers often prefer.
- Marketing & Brand Image: Highlighting a chlorine-free process is a key part of the marketing for premium bottled water brands. It positions the product as superior to standard tap water.
- Safety & Perception: Although regulated tap water is safe to drink, some consumers have health concerns about chlorine or its byproducts. Providing a product that explicitly removes it can appeal to this market segment.
- Use of Alternative Disinfectants: Many bottlers prefer alternative disinfection methods, such as ozonation or UV light, which do not leave a lingering taste or chemical residual in the finished product.
Conclusion
To definitively answer the question "Is Essentia Water chlorinated?"—no, it is not. Essentia undergoes a meticulous purification process, starting with microfiltration and activated carbon filtration to specifically target and remove impurities like chlorine and its byproducts. This is followed by reverse osmosis and a proprietary ionization step that produces an alkaline water with a pH of 9.5 or higher. For consumers who prefer a chlorine-free option with a clean taste and specific alkaline properties, Essentia's manufacturing process provides a clear solution.
For more details on the company's process and water quality testing, you can refer to the official Essentia Water Quality Report.
