YOUR WATER, EXPLAINED
Choosing the best
bottled water in South Africa.
Compare bottled water by its label, quality standards, pack size and price per litre.
Explore the waterDESIGNER WATERMADE IN SOUTH AFRICA
How we compared
What makes the best bottled water in South Africa?
Compare the same bottle size using the label, price per litre and documented quality credentials. Taste is a personal preference, so the survey below is shown separately from the product specifications.
Certifications you can check. A pH you can test. Minerals you can read on the label. A price per litre you can work out with a calculator. And taste, which is the one people notice first.
96.9%
Preferred Designer Water
company-run, sighted survey · 390 non-customer respondents
1
Certifications
SANBWA accreditation, ISO 22000 and extra marks like Kosher, Halaal show that food safety and quality have been checked by someone other than the brand.
2
pH level
Most bottled water sits between pH 6.5 and 8. Higher pH water carries more dissolved alkaline minerals. Designer Water pH10 reaches pH 10.
3
Minerals
Water with added calcium, magnesium and potassium gives you more than plain hydration. Check the label. If it does not list minerals, assume there are very few.
4
Taste
96.9% preferred Designer Water in our company-run, sighted survey of 390 non-customer respondents. Taste is the reason people switch and stay.
5
Price per litre
The real cost. A R12 bottle of 500ml works out to R24 a litre. A R220 case of four 5L bottles works out to R11 a litre. Bigger formats win.
Quick comparison
Top bottled water brands in South Africa, side by side.
Designer Water figures are current WooCommerce case prices. Competitor figures are indicative shelf prices as recorded on this page in April 2026 and may have changed.
| Brand | Type | pH | 500ml price | Per litre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designer Water pH10 | Alkaline, 14-stage purified and mineralised | 10 | R12.08 (case of 24 at R290) | R24.17 (500ml) · R11.00 (5L case) | SANBWA, ISO 22000, Kosher, Halaal. Calcium, magnesium, potassium. Shop the range |
| PureSafe (Designer Water) | Purified still, 11-stage | 8.5 | R6.90 (case of 20 at R138) | R13.80 | Same quality certifications and accreditations as pH10. See PureSafe |
| Bonaqua | Purified, minerals added back | About 7 | About R12 (indicative) | About R24 (indicative) | Widely available. SANBWA accredited, as published at time of writing. |
| Valpré | Spring | About 7.5 | About R14 (indicative) | About R28 (indicative) | Western Cape source. SANBWA accredited and ISO 22000, as published at time of writing. |
| Thirsti | Spring | 8 | About R10 (indicative) | About R20 (indicative) | Affordable. SANBWA accredited, as published at time of writing. |
| aQuellé | Spring | 6.4 to 6.5 | About R11 (indicative) | About R22 (indicative) | KwaZulu-Natal source. SANBWA accredited, as published at time of writing. |
Competitor prices, pH values and certification notes are indicative, taken from public information at the time of writing (April 2026), and are not verified by Designer Water. Check the brand's own label and the SANBWA member list for current status. Designer Water prices are per case on designerwater.co.za and exclude delivery.
Designer Water pH10
Why pH10 stands out.
Designer Water is not a spring water or a basic purified water. It goes through a 14-stage purification and mineralisation process that produces water at pH 10 with controlled levels of calcium, magnesium and potassium.
The water is also infused with molecular hydrogen at time of bottling and has a reduced ORP (Oxidation-Reduction Potential) at time of bottling. Those are process facts, not health claims.
pH
10, from dissolved alkaline minerals, tested every batch.
Minerals
Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Potassium (K).
Process
14-stage purification and mineralisation. Molecular hydrogen infused and reduced ORP at time of bottling.
Certified
SANBWA, ISO 22000, Kosher, Halaal.
Taste
96.9% preferred Designer Water in our company-run, sighted survey of 390 non-customer respondents.
Bottled
Midrand, South Africa. Bottling since 2015. Delivered nationwide by the case.
Pricing by size
The per-litre cost, size by size.
Case prices on designerwater.co.za, 3 September 2026. The 5L brings the cost down to R11 a litre, which is in line with or cheaper than most spring and purified brands in the table above.
Best per litre
Brand by brand
How the other brands compare.
Short, fair notes on each brand. Everything here is public information as recorded at the time of writing. We sell our own water, so read it with that in mind and check the labels yourself.
Purified
Bonaqua
South Africa's most widely distributed bottled water. Purified by reverse osmosis with minerals added back. Neutral pH of about 7. Sold everywhere from forecourts to supermarkets. The benchmark for availability.
SANBWA accredited, as published · about R24 a litre in 500ml (indicative)
Spring
Valpré
Spring water sourced from the Western Cape and one of South Africa's oldest bottled water brands. Spring water at about pH 7.5, so it is not an alkaline or mineral-enriched product. Higher price point.
SANBWA accredited and ISO 22000, as published · about R28 a litre in 500ml (indicative)
Spring
Thirsti
Spring water sold through many independent retailers and some chain stores. An affordable option. Mineral content varies by source.
pH 8 · SANBWA accredited, as published · about R20 a litre in 500ml (indicative)
Spring
aQuellé
Spring water from KwaZulu-Natal, sold in still and flavoured variants. Mid-range pricing.
pH 6.4 to 6.5 · SANBWA accredited, as published · about R22 a litre in 500ml (indicative)
Purified still
PureSafe
Designer Water's everyday purified still water. An 11-stage process with trace minerals added back, pH 8.5, and the same quality certifications and accreditations as pH10. The affordable option in our own range at R13.80 a litre in 500ml.
R138 a case of 20 · See PureSafe
Alkaline
Designer Water pH10
Alkaline water at pH 10 with calcium, magnesium and potassium, 14-stage purified and mineralised, molecular hydrogen infused at time of bottling. 96.9% preferred in our company-run sighted survey of 390 non-customer respondents.
quality certifications and accreditations · from R11 a litre in 5L · Shop pH10
Competitor details are indicative and unverified by Designer Water, as recorded in April 2026. Brands change sources, formats and prices. If you spot something out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
Quality you can check
What Designer Water is certified for.
Both pH10 and PureSafe hold quality certifications and accreditations. For trade requirements, check the exact product coverage and scheme required against our certificate register. Check other brands' certifications on their own labels and websites.
See our certificationsSANBWA
South African National Bottled Water Association accreditation. Annual audits of source, plant and product.
ISO 22000
International food safety management system certification, 2018 standard.
Kosher
Beth Din of South Africa. pH10 alkaline ionized water and PureSafe still water. Valid to 31 August 2027; not Kosher for Passover.
Halaal
SANHA. Listed pH10 still sizes: 330ml, 500ml, 750ml, 1L and 5L; PureSafe: 500ml and 1.5L. Valid to 30 June 2027.
Best for
The best bottled water for home, office, events and business.
The right answer depends on how you drink it. Here is the honest pick for each.
Home
5 Litre
If you buy bottled water every week for the house, per-litre cost is what matters. 500ml bottles run R20 to R28 a litre. The 5L case is R11 a litre. Four 5L bottles for R220.
R220 a case
Office
1 Litre
Desk-friendly and R17.58 a bottle by the case of 12. Check our quality credentials for clients who ask. The 500ml case of 24 at R290 suits meeting rooms.
R211 a case
Events
330ml
Single-serve, 24 to a case, R11 a bottle. Kosher and Halaal certified, with the product scope and dietary status listed in our certificate register. Pallet quantities available for large events.
R264 a case
Business and bulk
Waterpreneur
Restaurants, gyms, hotels and resellers can buy in bulk direct or through the Waterpreneur programme, with 40% reorder discount after training. Full pallets in every size.
Packs from R539
96.9%
The taste test
The factor people notice first.
96.9% preferred Designer Water in our company-run, sighted survey of 390 non-customer respondents. Tap water, spring water and purified water all went up against it. The test was open-label and run by Designer Water in July 2025.
Taste it yourself"You can taste the difference between this water and other brands. Like cheap wine vs award winning wine. My body loves this."
Nicola
Verified customer testimonial
"I used to prefer Valpre... then I tasted Designer Water and boy! Water has never been so pleasant."
Instagram customer
Verified customer testimonial
Individual results may vary. Testimonials reflect personal taste and are not health claims.
Questions, answered
Best bottled water in South Africa: your questions.
What is the best bottled water brand in South Africa?
It depends on what you value. For pH, added minerals and a full set of certifications, Designer Water pH10 is our pick, with quality certifications and accreditations and a pH of 10. For everyday affordability, PureSafe at R13.80 a litre in the 500ml case of 20 and widely available purified brands like Bonaqua sit at lower price points.
Is alkaline water better than regular bottled water?
Alkaline water has more dissolved minerals (calcium, magnesium and potassium) and a higher pH than regular purified or spring water. Research by Koufman and Johnston (2012) found that water at pH 8.8 denatured pepsin, the enzyme involved in acid reflux, in laboratory conditions. Whether that matters to you depends on your priorities. Read more about alkaline water benefits.
How many certifications does Designer Water hold?
Documented credentials: SANBWA, ISO 22000, Kosher, Halaal. Coverage depends on the product and the document. See the certifications page.
Where can I buy the best bottled water in South Africa?
Designer Water is sold online at designerwater.co.za with nationwide delivery, and through 5,500+ Waterpreneur distributors across South Africa. Find your nearest distributor, or find a participating collection point and confirm stock before travelling.
What is the cheapest premium bottled water per litre?
In our range, the 5L case of four at R220 works out to R11.00 a litre. That is the lowest per-litre price for pH10 and in line with or below the indicative per-litre prices of the spring and purified brands in the table above.
Is spring water or purified water better?
Spring water comes from a natural source and its minerals vary with that source. Purified water is filtered, usually by reverse osmosis, and then minerals are added back in controlled amounts. Neither is automatically better. Certifications, pH and price per litre tell you more than the category. Read alkaline vs spring water.
Last updated September 2026. Designer Water prices from designerwater.co.za on 3 September 2026 and subject to change. Competitor prices and certification notes are indicative, as recorded in April 2026, and unverified by Designer Water.
Try the one you can check.
Quality you can check. A taste worth trying.
330ml, 500ml, 750ml, 1L and 5L by the case, from R211. Delivered nationwide.
SANBWA · ISO 22000 · Kosher · Halaal · Made in SA · Since 2013
Dietary certification applies to the products listed in the current certificate register. SANHA lists pH10 still water in 330ml, 500ml, 750ml, 1L and 5L, and PureSafe in 500ml and 1.5L. The Kosher certificate covers pH10 alkaline ionized water and PureSafe still water; not Kosher for Passover.