Understanding What Bottled Water Does Not Have Chlorine in It

December 23, 2025 •

4 min read

Most municipal tap water in the United States is disinfected with chlorine to kill harmful bacteria, but this can leave behind an unpleasant taste and odor. For those seeking an alternative, many bottled water options provide a chlorine-free drinking experience by using different purification methods.

Quick Summary

Many bottled water varieties, including purified and natural spring waters, are processed to remove or avoid chlorine, resulting in a cleaner taste. Brands use methods like reverse osmosis, distillation, and natural filtration to achieve this.

Key Points

Purified Water: Brands like Aquafina and Smartwater use reverse osmosis or distillation to remove almost all contaminants, including chlorine.
Natural Spring Water: Brands such as Evian and Fiji draw from naturally protected underground sources that are inherently chlorine-free.
Chlorine Removal Process: Bottling companies use multiple filtration stages, carbon filtration, UV light, and ozonation to effectively eliminate chlorine before bottling.
Source Matters: Water from municipal sources undergoes extensive purification to remove chlorine, while natural spring water is naturally free of it and receives minimal, non-chlorine treatment.
Check the Label: Look for 'purified,' 'distilled,' or 'natural spring' water to find options without chlorine's taste and odor.
Taste vs. Safety: While tap water is safe due to chlorination, bottled options are processed specifically to remove chlorine and enhance taste.

Why is Chlorine in Your Tap Water?

Chlorine has been used for over 100 years to disinfect public drinking water supplies and protect against waterborne diseases such as typhoid and cholera. It is a powerful disinfectant that is effective at killing bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms and remains active as the water travels through miles of pipes to your home. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the levels of chlorine in tap water to ensure it is safe for consumption. However, even at safe levels, many people find the distinct smell and taste of chlorine unappealing, leading them to seek alternative water sources.

Types of Chlorine-Free Bottled Water

When searching for bottled water without chlorine, it is important to understand the different types available, as their sources and purification methods vary. The most common chlorine-free types are purified water, distilled water, and natural spring water.

Purified Water

Purified water is sourced from municipal or tap water but then undergoes a rigorous purification process to remove chemicals, contaminants, and dissolved solids. Brands often use several advanced filtration techniques to achieve this, making the final product very low in contaminants, including chlorine. Common purification methods include:

Reverse Osmosis (RO): Forces water through a semi-permeable membrane to trap impurities and chemicals.
Distillation: Heats water to a vapor, leaving contaminants behind, and then condenses the steam back into a liquid.
Carbon Filtration: Uses activated carbon to adsorb chemicals like chlorine and improve taste and odor.
Ozonation and UV Light: Uses ozone gas or ultraviolet light to disinfect the water without leaving chemical residue.

Distilled Water

Distilled water is a specific type of purified water created by boiling and condensing water vapor, which removes all minerals and impurities, including chlorine. This results in very pure water with a flat taste due to the lack of minerals. It is often used in appliances like irons or humidifiers but is also sold for drinking.

Natural Spring Water

Natural spring water originates from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the Earth's surface. Because it is sourced from a naturally protected underground aquifer, it is generally free of chemical contaminants like chlorine. Some brands may use minimal treatment, such as UV light or ozonation, to ensure safety, but this does not add chlorine. The mineral content is not stripped away, which can affect the taste.

Bottled Water Comparison: Chlorine & Purification


Water Type	Chlorine Present?	Purification Method(s)	Mineral Content	Taste Profile
Tap Water	Yes	Coagulation, Filtration, Chlorine Disinfection	Varies (often high)	Can have a chemical or chlorinated taste
Purified Water	No / Trace	Reverse Osmosis, Distillation, Carbon Filtration, UV, Ozonation	None to Low	Clean, neutral taste
Natural Spring Water	No	Natural Filtration, sometimes UV or Ozonation at bottling	Varies (often high)	Distinct, can taste minerally
Distilled Water	No	Distillation (Boiling & Condensing)	None	Flat, tasteless

Popular Chlorine-Free Bottled Water Brands

Many popular and niche brands produce water that has little to no chlorine. By opting for brands that emphasize advanced purification methods or use pristine natural sources, you can avoid the taste and odor of chlorine in your drinking water.

Brands using advanced purification:

Aquafina: Uses a multi-step purification process that includes reverse osmosis, removing chlorides and other dissolved solids to deliver a very pure taste.
Smartwater: This vapor-distilled water has electrolytes added back for taste, ensuring a pure, clean finish without chlorine.
LIFEWTR: A purified water brand that is absolutely chlorine-free and pH-balanced with added electrolytes.

Brands using natural springs:

Evian: Sourced from a natural spring in the French Alps, its natural filtration results in pure, chlorine-free mineral water.
Fiji: An artesian spring water that is filtered through volcanic rock and disinfected with UV light, avoiding chemical additives.
Mountain Valley Spring Water: Bottled at a natural spring source in Arkansas without chlorine or chemical additives.
Icelandic Glacial Water: Sourced from a pristine spring in Iceland, this water has a naturally high pH and is certified carbon neutral.

The Purification Process in Bottling Plants

Bottled water producers adhere to strict standards set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Their plants use advanced technologies to ensure the safety and purity of their products. A typical purification process for bottled water may include:

Micron Filtration: Removes larger particles like dirt, sand, and sediment.
Carbon Filtration: Eliminates chlorine, organic contaminants, and pesticides through adsorption.
Reverse Osmosis (for purified water): Forces water through a membrane to remove smaller impurities and dissolved solids.
Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection: Uses UV light to kill bacteria and viruses without chemicals.
Ozonation: Disinfects the water with ozone gas, which leaves no taste or chemical residue after it dissipates.

This multi-stage approach ensures that even water originally sourced from a municipal supply is thoroughly stripped of any chlorine before it reaches the consumer. Bottled spring water, coming from protected underground sources, requires less intensive treatment and is often only subjected to filtration and ozonation or UV treatment before bottling.

Conclusion

While municipal tap water is treated with chlorine to ensure safety, its distinctive taste can be off-putting to some. The bottled water market offers numerous options for those seeking a chlorine-free alternative, primarily through purified and natural spring water varieties. Purified water brands like Aquafina and Smartwater use multi-stage filtration processes like reverse osmosis and distillation to remove chlorine and other impurities. Natural spring water brands such as Evian, Fiji, and Mountain Valley Spring Water draw from naturally protected underground sources and typically use non-chlorine disinfection methods. By checking the label for terms like 'purified,' 'distilled,' or 'natural spring,' and researching the brand's purification process, consumers can easily find bottled water that does not have chlorine in it, enjoying a cleaner and fresher taste.

For more detailed information on bottled water regulations, you can visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website at www.fda.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chlorine is added to municipal tap water as a disinfectant to ensure it remains safe from bacteria and viruses as it travels through a pipe network. Most bottled water, however, is either from a naturally protected source or undergoes advanced purification (like reverse osmosis or distillation) that removes chlorine, so a residual disinfectant isn't needed.

Yes, natural spring water that comes from protected underground sources is inherently chlorine-free. While bottling plants may use non-chlorine disinfection methods like UV light or ozonation to ensure purity, these do not add chlorine to the final product.

Most purified water brands explicitly state that they use processes like reverse osmosis and carbon filtration to remove chlorine, as this is a key selling point for taste. However, as the water sometimes starts as a municipal source, trace residues might be possible, but levels are typically undetectable or negligible.

Yes, simple test strips are available from home improvement or aquarium supply stores to check for residual chlorine. However, most major bottled water brands that market themselves as purified or natural spring water will have undetectable levels.

The 'best' choice depends on your preference for taste and mineral content. Purified or distilled water offers a very clean, neutral taste, while natural spring water provides minerals and a more distinct flavor. All are generally chlorine-free.

While chlorine can evaporate from tap water when left open, the levels in bottled water are already so low that any effect would be negligible. This practice is not necessary for bottled water.

Some individuals are sensitive to the taste and smell of chlorine. From a health perspective, removing chlorine also prevents the formation of some disinfection byproducts, though levels in tap water are regulated and considered safe for consumption.