Before i start my in-depth investigation about Evian water (click on the link to jump there), let me point out a few very important and relevant facts:
Water is irreplaceable
Water is a definite building source of us (~60% of human body) thus a source of Life. Not many would start a debate with me over this, i guess.
As our planet is getting more polluted and packed, water quantity and quality is apparently getting more of a daily concern.
It’s another sad, indisputable fact. I’m just watching, how all of us slowly becoming aware of the importance of water’s existence and quality in our daily life. More and more experts are admittedly envisioning such kind of water shortages in the not too far future.
Our (badass) environmental dependency
Before i get straight into my independent review of Evian water, let me quickly show my case:
I’m originally from Hungary, where the general water quality is still one of the best on Earth (for drinking, for bath-tourism, etc.). So the first time i experienced a contrast in water quality was surely happened when i moved to China, Shanghai and Hong Kong for a few years. Both are huge metropolis, thus not the cleanest parts on Earth, if i’m right..
Well, Hong Kong’s government states, “..the city’s tap water has an outstanding quality”. I love Hong Kong, and believe that Hong Kong’s water-treatment system does everything they can to possibly improve the drinking water quality. However.. we always can find problematic facts about the details and the flaws of the system. Worries based on the rusty and “ancient” waterpipe / distribution system, etc, etc. I just picked one city. The point is: it’s more or less the same all over the globe. Water quality can be stated as ‘outstanding’, but beware, ‘outstanding’ is a RELATIVE term. You can be sure, it doesn’t equal Perfect..
Fishing and collecting lifestyle
I also believe, we can adapt to most of the new environments successfully (without feeling significant inconvenience on the long term). Since we try to collect the most proper sources of the important food, drinks, building-blocks, nutrients, vitamins, thus lifestyle. It’s a bit like going back to the prehistoric times before humankind started to deal with agriculture, and was solely dependent on hunting and collecting.
Most of us definitely doing this day by day. If we want to ‘survive’ and sustain at our best, we do our research at our best. Sure, with FULL AWARENESS, we can greatly reduce the dangers and lack of balance to which our body (so thus our Mind and Soul) is exposed to by default.
W’s Evian inspection
I wanted to know more about the truth of Evian natural mineral water. It’s a product of Danone. And i’m massively sceptical about most multinational companies* with complete global coverage. Especially the ones that cater for the people’s most basic needs. So i hit up Google and took my research on the product. It took about 15 hours net time of read and research at the first take. Was hard to stop. I found opinions from both sides, hot and cold. Also found analysis of other independent teams and by curious individuals. Interesting to map out the general belief of Evian water. I placed all onto my scale (scale of unbiased logic and instinct) and it resulted in my overall feeling about this bottled natural water piece.
this article’s final conclusion is:
rather worth to buy Evian water, than not.
*global company: in my terms often = rather-profit-than-quality oriented firms (observation: the bigger the firm, the more profit-driven it may become.)
Disclaimer: this is not a paid product advertisement. (AND i’m totally fine with it at the moment 😉
Evian water facts
Contents (If the ingredient label says truth)
As i learnt so far, the main fact that makes the Evian water slightly better than many similar bottled-water products nowadays is it’s high volume of minerals and proper pH-value balance:
“The taste and “mouthfeel” of water is affected significantly by two main factors:
- total dissolved solids (calcium, magnesium, fluoride, silica, etc)
- pH (acidity).
Every spring-water has a different ‘cocktail’ of dissolved solids. And most are close to neutral pH. Human fluids are around 7.4 pH. Evian is 7.2 pH, filtered (distilled) waters around 5.5, and tap water is often near 8 to protect city piping systems from acidic-water damage.”
“Acidic water will taste crisp and clean, but tooth enamel degrades at pH 5.5, so the mouthfeel will be rough. High pH waters will taste “flat,” and balanced waters will taste “smooth,” because the pH is close to the same level as your mouth.”
“The mineral content affects taste as well; Evian contains about 15% of your daily calcium needs if you drink two liters per day. Calcium creates a somewhat “milky” flavor, which contributes to its smooth character. (W: Here let me note that the highest calcium-content bottled water is Acqua Della Madonna with 288mg/L, second highest is Badoit with 190mg/litre, Evian is ‘only’ 78 mg/L (According to my latest Google findings). Daily adult calcium requirement is about 800-1000 mg.
“Evian is one of the few waters in mass distribution that meets the World Health Organization standards for drinking water quality, which states that water should have 200-400 ppm dissolved solids, a pH near 7.0, calcium of 60-80 ppm, and magnesium levels of 20-40 ppm.” – Replied ‘Lyric Duveyoung,
ok.., that all sounds dope, but how can we be sure that it’s really true?
The Evian Expedition’s findings
Here comes the tricky part. First let us try to prove that the whole Evian quality-thing is false and worthless. Here is a valuable -and last but not least- funny- article about an investigate project where a team set-out straight to visit the claimed source of Evian spring-water: Évian Les Bains area, east-France, they sniffed around, whether they find anything weird about Evian there.
The main interest of the “expedition team” was that whether the Evian high quality spring water is available to everyone, free of charge, anytime from the local drinking fountains for the whole local population.
“Do people in Evian drink Evian?”
Many of the citizens of Évian Les Bains still buy Evian water from the local stores instead of just collecting to containers from the fountains. Let’s be honest. It doesn’t sound hyper logical (and SUSTAINABLE) behavior in every sense.
The answer:
“Usually I just get it out of the spring but it seems like some people buy it. In my case, I don’t like tap water. So, sometimes I buy it if I’m too lazy or it’s too far to get it from the spring. My friends are like that too.”
says a local hotel staff member.
“A cashier at a local supermarket gives a different viewpont,
“I buy it because it’s only 50 cents. There really aren’t that many people who get from the spring though. We also sell Volvic. [laughs]”
So, free water is flowing 24/7 all over Evian, but is it really Evian water?
The drinking-fountains, street wells, taps and other water collecting spots over Evian des Bains (where local folks are collecting their water from) are floating from “the heart of the alps”. However, that’s not yet proven (by my research findings, at least) that the Evian bottler factory uses the same or similar sources (needs more investigation:). So by quoting the words of the author of this Evian ‘expedition’ article:
“Therefore it’s likely that the water is of at least a similar quality, but difficult to say if it’s exacltly the same.”
This report somewhat eased my skepticism, since at least it let me see that the resource-area truly exists.:) That’s already a remarkable step forward in today’s chaotic galaxy of well crafted fake-stories, shadow-businesses and never existing famous inventors and projects in contribution to create and produce “top-quality”, “world-class”, “unique” and “premium” etc. products since before the existence of calendars..
The Evian factory also truly exists and seems legit 🙂
After a half minute Google search i found the address of the Evian bottling factory anyone can book a visit from May to September (who’s coming with me? 🙂 that makes it pretty clear that the factory is there. Let’s be honest, it’s hard to imagine that the factory stands on the leg of the alps and they import water from a random, remote place to bottle and label it. 🙂 That would be a ‘hilarious hack’ tho (we already know too many examples) but thank God’, it seems not the case yet.
The Evian® water bottling factory – Amphion“The birthplace of the world’s most popular mineral water. Discover the entire bottling process. Located in Amphion, the Evian bottling plant welcomes visitors. Following a historical and geological video presentation, the visit continues on to a glass gallery that allows visitors to observe the complete bottling process: manufacturing of the bottles, racking, conditioning and shipping. Visits |
Maybe my next Evian based article i will post right from the core of the Factory.
Some interesting negative facts and conspiracy theories about Evian water
Evian – Naive
First of all, there are hundreds of comments from people who successfully ‘revealed’ the ‘hidden message’ by spelling backwards the name Evian is: “Naive”..
for example:
“evian” is “naive” spelled backwards. Water is water, and unless it can produce any kind of scientifically verifiable health benefits, water is water is water.”(http://www.mydiet.com/6-lies-you-always-believed-about-bottled-water/)
Even the third party retailers caught some ‘lucrative’ business opportunities on this issue:
“Naive” T-shirt and cap. If you want them so much, you can just buy it from here..
Anyways, it’s good to know, that Evian is the name of the whole area where the water is reaching the surface, so there is low chance of tricky-wicky game with words to make fun of the masses of ‘stupid posh consumers’.
Blind taste tests
There are many of them, i show one here:
Evian sorta failed at taste-test conducted by a New York based team. It resulted that the 10 types of water they tried all had better overall taste then Evian. Even U.S. tap and filtered water scored higher points. Personally i can’t get it. I never tasted NYC tap water, but maybe i should then. One thing i’m sure about: Evian probably beat the Hong Kong tap water ..both in taste and ingredients. Please, (also) leave your comment below, if you think it otherwise.
(here you read the related article from beginning. And the part for Evian. )
Online opinions pro and contra (but rather pro)
Hundreds of opinions with and against every bottled water brands, however i usually found the Evian ‘fan’-s opinions more scientifically profound and mature than the ‘spitters’ & anti-Evianists’ ones.
check this:
“I can’t decide whether it’s funny or sad that people think bottled water is healthier than tap water. Most bottled water IS tap water, and contains more harmful substances because of flimsy regulation (and even worse enforcement). They all claim to use fresh mountain spring water, but they’re just filling bottles from a municipal tap. But feel free to spend several thousand percent more on your water, for nothing special.”
“Your half right. SOME bottled water is bad. Like Aquafina, Dasani, and other cheap waters. But Evian is in the top 5 best drinking water in the world. Tap water is terrible compared to it. Google tap water catching fire if you don’t believe me. Have you even tried Evian before? After reading your comment, I get the feeling you havnt.”
(read the full discussion here: This website has quite many Evian enthusiast comments though.)
+ found more than plenty of Evian-praising comments from still the same website:
“Evian is the best water I have ever drinked. Tap water is nothing like Evian.”
“Great article.. I never knew Evian was an actual place.. I’m so dedicated to that water.”
“Ive been drinking two 2 liters of Evian a day for a little over a year now. I couldnt live without it. If i had one thing to drink for the rest of my life, it would definitely be Evian.”
even some extreme ones:
“well it sure seems that i have tried every bottled water and now i am so sensitive that in less than a day of drinking anything but evian i’m running to the bathroom every 5 minutes as well as a major burn during urination and in the vulva area. now i am trying to figure out what i will do during airport travel days. guess just not drinking anything which isn’t good either but better than the burn. i am talking with our grocer in costa rica and trying to get a case of 24 large bottles each month, large bottles. maybe this is an option for those of you who cannot find it regularly. it is expensive but what can i do? i just give up buying something else. “
hm.., one more:
“Evian water has given me a perfect month. I’ve drunk no other water but Evian during this period and I feel like a normal person again. No burning urine, no urgency or frequency no need for urogenital gel of any kind. I’m at peace.
I feel as if its my best friend and I’ll never drink another water again.
I thank the ICN for tipping me off to it just a few weeks ago.”
(source of the comments and article: here)
Some article against bottled waters as a whole.
Ok, i let you process all these, and form your own ‘reality’ about Evian water.
W’s final conclusion on all these
At he moment i feel convinced that drinking Evian is better for me than not doing it. Feel free to make your own decision and further research. I hope i helped and motivated you about your life-awareness and importance of our water quality ..and Environment. Please add your constructive thoughts, knowledge below in the comment section. Cheers! I’m sure, there are tons of extra information out there which i / we still hadn’t learnt about..
As a happy-end gift.. let me show the claimed history of Evian:
In 1789 during a walk, the Marquis of Lessert drank water from the Sainte Catherine spring on the land of a M. Cachat. The marquis, who was allegedly suffering from kidney and liver problems, drank the water regularly while he walked, and claimed that his health improved. Encouraged by Lessert’s advocacy of the ‘miraculous’ water, local doctors began to prescribe it as a health remedy. In response to the growing success of the water, M. Cachat fenced off his spring and began selling the water. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evian#History)
Disclaimer: i’m not affiliate or bond with Danone’s Evian Water Company on any ways, not earning a cent by providing this independent online research of my own.
If you find this article helpful, please leave a like below!
Also if you have any constructive idea, opinion, feel free to add in the comment section.
Stay Clean! ; )
Great read! I just enjoyed some Evian and felt the need to research. Your article was perfect.
im happy if it helped. Cheers! %
the most comprehensive research… and i don’t need to do any more reading, many thanks
hehe, yeah i was curious too. Sure there is still a lot out there what we don’t know yet. Stay clean! 😉
Thank You for this article eventhough it’s been a bit since you published it. I live in northeast Florida in the largest city in the United States. Recently we experienced Hurricane Irma. Prior to this, because I’m in my late 40’s I have been weening myself off of Coca-Cola. I did some amount of internet research and decided on Evian. During and after this event I could find no Evian. Family gave us a huge pack of Dasani and Wal-Mart water. So I started drinking it thinking it was at least better than Coca-Cola. Totally wrong. I finished the Dasani and started on the W-M water at which point I began to have acne on my face and back of neck. I immediately stopped and found some Fuji nearby. I never get acne not even with Coke. Probably because my body was used to the cola. Since our area to this day is still having bouts of boil water advisories, no tap water is not the same as Evian. However I feel that (good) tap water and or spring well water is better than Dasani and Wal-Mart and the like waters. There’s my two cents. So it’s Evian for me from now on. I can see and feel the health benefits.
Tx for your experience. Yeah food/water industry is one of the biggest & trickiest ones. We need to stay really aware and alert because we can buy all kind of goods on the quality scale 0-100… All the best for us, mate! 😉
hey, I’m doing research about Evian. I have read your article (very nice) and found it helpful to my report. I even quote it in my report. Can I ask for the Name of the author ? I want to put it in my reference list. Thanks.
Dear Vivian, sorry for the late reply, the author (me) is Viktor Boritás. Thank you for your support. More articles will come up soon!
Evian is not a good source of drinking water , do to the contents of fluoride and chloride, these are toxic chemicals, and shouldn’t be put in the water, i am not drinking this water and i am telling my friend to facebook,
Love Évian water been drinking it for years. I work out also about 3-5 times a week. A good water is important to me it’s the best out there. Thanks for your article.
I didnit. Like Evian. It contains sulfates. Bad