When Was Aquafina Water Made? A History of Purity

January 12, 2026 •

3 min read

Launched in July 1994, the first bottles of Aquafina water were distributed in Wichita, Kansas, by PepsiCo. The brand's creation was a strategic move by the beverage giant to capture a piece of the growing bottled water market.

Quick Summary

The Aquafina bottled water brand was first introduced by PepsiCo in July 1994, starting in Wichita, Kansas. It quickly expanded its distribution across the United States within a few years. The brand's origin is tied to the company's efforts to produce purified water derived from municipal sources.

Key Points

1994 Launch: Aquafina was first introduced by PepsiCo in July 1994, starting its distribution in Wichita, Kansas.
Purified Water: Unlike spring water, Aquafina is purified municipal water that undergoes an extensive, multi-step process to remove dissolved solids.
Rapid Expansion: The brand achieved national distribution across the United States just three years after its launch, in 1997.
Hydro-7™ Process: The purification system, which includes reverse osmosis and ozonation, ensures a consistent and pure taste.
Market Competition: Aquafina's creation was a response to the growing bottled water market and directly competes with brands like Coca-Cola's Dasani.
Sustainability Initiatives: Over the years, the brand has introduced lighter bottles to reduce plastic consumption and mitigate environmental impact.

The Launch and Expansion of Aquafina

Aquafina's journey began in the mid-1990s as a strategic project within PepsiCo to tap into the burgeoning bottled water industry. The company had previously attempted to enter the market with other bottled water brands, but it was the creation of Aquafina and its emphasis on purity that found widespread success. Its initial debut was limited, but the product's flavor profile, achieved through an advanced purification process, quickly resonated with consumers.

By 1997, Aquafina had achieved national distribution across the United States, cementing its position as a major player in the market. The brand's rapid expansion was a testament to the success of its marketing and product positioning, which focused on the idea of 'purity' and 'perfect taste'. This was a clever contrast to the natural spring water brands that dominated the market, as Aquafina used municipal water sources that were then heavily purified.

Aquafina's Purification Process and Brand Identity

The core of Aquafina's brand identity lies in its purification process, known as Hydro-7™. This multi-step process is designed to remove a wide range of dissolved solids, salts, and other compounds that can affect the water's taste.

The Hydro-7™ purification process typically involves:

Initial filtration: The process begins with carbon filtration to remove organic compounds and chlorine.
Reverse Osmosis: This critical step uses semi-permeable membranes to force water through at high pressure, effectively removing dissolved solids.
Ozonation: This step uses ozone, a powerful disinfectant, to further purify the water.
Final Polishing: The water undergoes a final filtration step before being bottled, ensuring its 'perfect taste'.

This extensive treatment process allows PepsiCo to maintain a consistent taste profile for Aquafina, regardless of the local municipal water source used. While it has drawn scrutiny for being essentially purified tap water, the company is transparent about its source, adding a disclaimer to its labels.

Aquafina vs. Natural Spring Water: A Taste and Source Comparison


Feature	Aquafina (Purified Water)	Natural Spring Water (e.g., Evian, Fiji)
Source	Public, municipal water sources	Underground spring formation
Purification	Multi-step process including reverse osmosis and ozonation	Minimal treatment, often just filtration
Mineral Content	Very low Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) due to purification	Contains naturally occurring minerals from the spring
Taste Profile	Consistent, clean, and flavorless taste due to purification	Flavor can vary depending on the unique mineral composition of the spring
Marketing Focus	Emphasizes purity and consistent taste	Highlights natural origin and mineral content

Brand Evolution and Market Position

Since its 1994 launch, Aquafina has not only expanded its distribution but also diversified its product line. In the mid-2000s, it introduced flavored variants like Aquafina FlavorSplash, though some product lines have since been discontinued. The brand has also been active in promoting sustainability, introducing lighter-weight bottles to reduce its plastic footprint.

Today, Aquafina remains one of the top-selling bottled water brands in the United States, consistently competing with brands like Coca-Cola's Dasani. The success of Aquafina and Dasani marked a significant shift in the bottled water market, proving that consumers would readily purchase purified tap water that was marketed effectively. The brand's history is a case study in how a major corporation can successfully leverage existing infrastructure and marketing power to create a dominant product in a competitive market. For more information on PepsiCo's strategic market entries, explore their official website.

Conclusion

Aquafina was made in 1994, a deliberate entry by PepsiCo into the growing bottled water market. The brand's success was not based on sourcing from exotic springs but on a sophisticated, replicable purification process applied to municipal water. By focusing on consistent purity and leveraging its vast distribution network, Aquafina quickly rose to prominence. Its story illustrates a pivotal moment in the industry, where marketing and processing technology proved more influential than the natural origin of the water itself. This history continues to shape the competitive landscape of bottled water today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Aquafina was first distributed and sold in Wichita, Kansas, in July 1994.

The Aquafina brand is owned by PepsiCo, one of the world's largest food and beverage companies.

Aquafina water originates from public, municipal water sources. It is then put through a rigorous purification process.

Aquafina starts as tap water but is purified through a multi-step process, including reverse osmosis and ozonation, to remove dissolved solids for a consistent taste.

The purification process, branded as Hydro-7™, involves initial carbon filtration, reverse osmosis, ozonation, and other steps to ensure purity.

Aquafina achieved national distribution across the United States in 1997, just a few years after its initial launch.

Aquafina is purified municipal water, designed for a consistent taste. Spring water comes from an underground formation and contains naturally occurring minerals, which can result in a more varied flavor profile.