Designer Water South Africa was founded in 2013 and has bottled since 2015. We make pH10 alkaline water and PureSafe purified still water at our SANBWA-certified facility in Midrand, sold by 5 500+ Waterpreneurs across the country. Cases from R211.
Meet the founder
John founded Designer Water in 2013 after spending years studying the bottled water industry in South Africa. He saw a gap. Premium quality water existed elsewhere, but not at scale here. Bottling began in 2015 from a facility in Centurion, Gauteng.
The process was built from the ground up: 14 stages of purification and mineralisation, leaving water at pH 10+ infused with calcium, magnesium and potassium. Six independent certifications followed.
From day one, the model was different. Rather than start by chasing retail shelf space, John built the Waterpreneur programme, a distributor network that has grown to 5 500+ active members across South Africa, with over 100 reaching Master Distributor level.
We never set out to be just another water company. The goal was to build something people could feel proud to buy, serve, and grow with.
From a single question in 2013 to a national distributor network. These are the milestones that built the brand.
John Thompson founds Designer Water SA after studying the local bottled water industry. The blueprint is set: premium quality, certified, distributor-driven.
The 14-stage purification and mineralisation process runs for the first time. Water reaches a stable pH 10+ from added minerals.
The first distributor cohort joins. Rather than fight for retail shelves first, the brand builds a peer-to-peer network.
SABC, Fox 34 News, ABC affiliates, Lekker FM, HOT 91.9 and FIBO Africa pick up the story.
Independent food safety and bottled water certifications anchor the production process. Six certifications now in place.
The distributor network passes 5 500 active members. 100+ reach Master Distributor level.
Brand ambassadors Wayde van Niekerk (400m world record holder) and Akani Simbine (Africa's fastest man) join.
Every bottle of Designer Water pH10 goes through a disciplined multi-stage process at our Midrand facility. Here are the six major phases.
Source water passes through layered sediment filters that strip out suspended solids before the next stage.
Activated carbon removes chlorine, taste compounds and organic contaminants. The first taste-defining stage.
RO membranes filter water to a sub-micron level, removing dissolved solids, salts and trace contaminants.
Calcium, magnesium and potassium are precisely added back to a controlled mineral profile.
The mineral content brings water to a stable alkaline pH of 10+. Verified per batch.
Molecular hydrogen is dissolved at the bottling stage. The bottle is sealed immediately to retain dissolved H₂ and reduced ORP.
The full 14-stage sequence includes additional micron filtration, ozonation and quality testing steps between each major phase.
Every certification was earned through independent audit. No bought badges. These are the standards we hold ourselves to.
Same factory, same standards, same quality systems. Different positioning for different needs.
Our flagship range. 14-stage purified, mineralised with calcium, magnesium and potassium, with a stable pH of 10+. Available in 330ml, 500ml, 750ml, 1L and 5L cases. The product 96.9% of 390 non-customer respondents preferred in our taste test.
Shop pH10
11-stage purified still water at pH 8.5, with trace minerals and the same six certifications. Built as a clean, affordable everyday option for homes, offices, hospitality and events that want certified water without the alkaline premium.
Shop PureSafeThat's the long-term vision. Every bottle sold, every Waterpreneur recruited, every certification maintained moves the brand closer to that goal.
Results may vary. Earnings depend on individual effort and market conditions.
Whether you want premium water for your home or your office, or you want to build a business around it, this is where to start.
Designer Water SA (Pty) Ltd · Midrand, Gauteng · 087 550 1231 · [email protected]