Comparison guide · Two waters · One Midrand facility

Alkaline water vs purified water: what's the actual difference?

Standing in the water aisle wondering which one to grab? Alkaline water vs purified water is about what happens after filtration. Here is how each is made, what is left in it, what it tastes like, what it costs, and which one fits your day.

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Alkaline water vs purified water: Designer Water pH10 alkaline water 500ml bottle with the purple cap

PureSafe purified still water 500ml bottle, pH 8.5

pH10 · 8.5

Alkaline · Purified

Same facility · Same six certifications

The 30-second explainer

Alkaline water vs purified water, in plain terms.

Both start with the same job: take water and clean it. The difference sits in what goes back in afterwards, and how far the pH is lifted.

Purified water · PureSafe

Cleaned, then balanced

pH 8.5Purified still

Purified water is water that has been put through a controlled process, usually reverse osmosis with filtration before and after, to remove sediment, chlorine, fine impurities and off-tastes. PureSafe is Designer Water's purified still water. It goes through 11 stages, then a balanced blend of trace minerals goes back in so it does not taste flat or clinical.

11-stage purification
Balanced trace minerals, pH 8.5
Clean, light taste for everyday volume
From R180 a case of 24 × 500ml

Alkaline water · Designer Water pH10

Cleaned, then mineralised

pH 10Alkaline

Alkaline water starts as purified water, then goes through controlled mineralisation. Calcium, magnesium and potassium are added at known levels, which lifts the pH to 10. Designer Water pH10 runs a 14-stage process that purifies first and mineralises second, with molecular hydrogen infused at the time of bottling.

14-stage process, purify then mineralise
Calcium, magnesium and potassium added, pH 10
Smoother, fuller taste. 96.9% preferred it
Cases from R211 (12 × 1L or 12 × 750ml)

How each is made

Same start. Different finish.

Both waters are bottled on the same line in Midrand under the same ISO 22000 food safety system. The early steps are shared. The last step is where alkaline water and purified water part ways.

Pre-filtration

Sediment and multi-media filtration take out particles, chlorine and the things you can see and smell.

Both waters

Reverse osmosis

Water is pushed through a fine membrane under pressure. Dissolved solids and most minerals are removed.

Both waters

UV and ozone

Light and ozone handle microbiological safety without adding chemicals. PureSafe gets its balanced trace minerals here and is bottled at pH 8.5.

Both waters · PureSafe is bottled

Mineralisation

Alkaline only. Calcium, magnesium and potassium are dosed at controlled levels to reach pH 10, and molecular hydrogen is infused at bottling.

pH10 only

Simplified for reading. PureSafe runs 11 controlled stages and pH10 runs 14. Every stage sits inside the same SANBWA-audited, ISO 22000 certified system, so the safety standard is identical for both. The difference is pH and minerals, not safety.

96.9%

Taste

Minerals are what you taste.

Reverse osmosis strips out the minerals that give water its mouthfeel. Put calcium, magnesium and potassium back at controlled levels and the water tastes smoother and fuller. That is the pH10 difference: 96.9% preferred Designer Water in an independent taste test of 390 non-customer respondents.

PureSafe sits on the lighter side. A balanced trace mineral blend keeps it from tasting flat, so you get clean, easy-drinking water at a volume price.

"You can taste the difference between this water and other brands. Like cheap wine vs award winning wine. My body loves this."

Nicola

Customer testimonial, on file (Designer Water pH10)

Taste test: Zoho Survey, July 2025, self-administered, respondents saw the brand name. Individual experiences. Results may vary.

Price

What each costs, by the case.

Purified water costs less because it skips the mineralisation stage. Here are the two entry points, priced as sold on this site.

Flagship

Designer Water pH10

Alkaline water · Case of 12 × 1L or 12 × 750ml · Also 330ml, 500ml and 5L

From R211R17.58 a litre (1L case)

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Everyday

PureSafe

Purified still water · Case of 24 × 500ml · Also 1.5L case of 12 at R210

From R180R15.00 a litre (500ml case)

See PureSafe

Like for like on the 500ml: a pH10 case of 24 is R290 (R12.08 a bottle) and a PureSafe case of 24 is R180 (R7.50 a bottle). The cheapest pH10 per litre is the 5L case of 4 at R220, R11 a litre. Prices as listed on designerwater.co.za, September 2026.

Who each is for

Pick by the job, not the label.

Neither water is "better". One is built for volume, the other for the glass you sit down with. Match the water to the moment.

Offices

Boardroom to break room

Case supply for meetings, reception and the staff kitchen. PureSafe keeps the cost per bottle low. Put pH10 out for clients and the boardroom.

PureSafe for volume · pH10 for guests

Events and catering

Certified water on every table

Functions, conferences and catering need cases that arrive on time and carry real certifications. Both do. Budget decides.

PureSafe 500ml · pH10 for premium tables

Families

Fridge, lunchbox, sports bag

PureSafe 1.5L for the fridge and 500ml for lunchboxes at an everyday price. pH10 5L for the family who drink alkaline water daily.

PureSafe for everyday · pH10 5L for daily alkaline

Everyday vs premium

The glass you sit down with

If you want a defined mineral profile, a smoother taste and a higher pH as your daily water, pH10 is the one. If you want clean, certified water at the best price, PureSafe.

pH10 premium · PureSafe everyday

Shop pH10 See PureSafe WhatsApp for bulk

Side by side

Alkaline water vs purified water on every line.

Same source water, same line, same six certifications. The mineralisation stage is what splits them.

	AlkalineDesigner Water pH10	PurifiedPureSafe Still
pH level	pH 10 alkaline	pH 8.5 purified still
How it is made	14-stage process: purified, then mineralised. Molecular hydrogen infused at bottling	11-stage purification, balanced trace minerals added back
Minerals	Calcium, magnesium and potassium added at controlled levels	Balanced trace mineral blend
Taste	Smoother, fuller. 96.9% preferred it in an independent taste test of 390 non-customer respondents	Clean and light, not flat
Price	From R211 a case (12 × 1L or 12 × 750ml). 500ml case of 24 R290	From R180 a case (24 × 500ml). 1.5L case of 12 R210
Best for	Daily premium hydration, families, athletes, client-facing offices, resellers	Offices, events, schools, catering, bulk supply, everyday family use
Certifications	SANBWA · ISO 22000 · GC Mark · GFSI · Kosher · Halal	SANBWA · ISO 22000 · GC Mark · GFSI · Kosher · Halal
Made in	Midrand, South Africa	Midrand, South Africa (same facility)

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Questions, answered

Alkaline vs purified. The honest answers.

Still unsure? WhatsApp us on +27 68 628 4427. A real person replies within minutes during business hours.

Is alkaline water better than purified water?

Not better, different. Purified water gives you a clean, light product with most minerals removed and a balanced trace blend put back. Alkaline water gives you a defined mineral profile, calcium, magnesium and potassium, at a higher pH of 10. The right one depends on what you want from your bottled water and what you are paying per case.

Can purified water be made alkaline?

Yes, and that is how Designer Water pH10 is made. The 14-stage process purifies the water first, then adds calcium, magnesium and potassium at controlled levels to lift the pH to 10. The mineralisation step is the whole difference between the two products.

Why does purified water taste flat?

Because reverse osmosis removes the minerals that give water its taste and mouthfeel. Strip them out and you get clean but flat water. That is why PureSafe puts a balanced trace mineral blend back in, and why pH10 goes further with calcium, magnesium and potassium for a smoother, fuller taste.

Is PureSafe alkaline water?

No. PureSafe is purified still water with a pH of 8.5. Designer Water's alkaline product is pH10, with a pH of 10 and added minerals. Both are bottled at the same Midrand facility.

Is one safer than the other?

No. Both are bottled under the same SANBWA audited, ISO 22000 certified system, and both carry the same six certifications: SANBWA, ISO 22000, GC Mark, GFSI, Kosher and Halal. The safety standard is identical. The difference is pH and minerals.

Why does alkaline water cost more?

The extra stages. pH10 runs 14 stages including mineralisation and hydrogen infusion, PureSafe runs 11. On the 500ml, a pH10 case of 24 is R290 and a PureSafe case of 24 is R180. pH10 cases start from R211 (1L or 750ml, 12 bottles), and the 5L case of 4 is R220, R11 a litre.

Which should I buy for an office or event?

For volume, PureSafe 500ml at R180 a case. For client-facing tables and boardrooms, pH10. Many offices run both. Order cases online, or WhatsApp +27 68 628 4427 for bulk quantities. Water orders are delivered across South Africa, or collected free from Midrand or your nearest Master Distributor.

Nothing on this page is medical advice. Both products are bottled water. Learn more about the six certifications or read the alkaline water benefits guide.

One line. Six certifications. Two waters.

Pick your water.

The smooth, mineralised taste of pH10 from R211 a case, or clean PureSafe purified still from R180 a case. Both from the same certified Midrand facility.

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Bottled in Midrand, South Africa · SANBWA certified · Since 2013