- +2787 550 1231
- [email protected]
- Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 17:00
Compare brands, prices, certifications and pH levels. Whether you're buying for home, office, or to build a business, this is the only bottled water guide you need.
6 Certifications pH 10+ 5,500+ WaterpreneursEvery type of bottled water on the South African market starts somewhere different and ends up filtered, mineralised or carbonated in its own way. Here's how they compare.
Municipal or borehole water that's been put through reverse osmosis, UV and carbon filtration. The most common and most affordable.
Flows naturally from underground sources. Mineral content varies with the geology of the spring, so taste changes between brands.
Purified water remineralised with calcium, magnesium and potassium. Designer Water pH10® sits at the top of this range.
At least 250 ppm dissolved solids from a protected source. Less common on South African retail shelves than purified or spring.
Carbonated either naturally or by added CO₂. Hydrates the same as still water but the carbonation drops the pH significantly.
The bottled water shelf in South Africa is full of similar-looking plastic bottles. The differences sit in places most shoppers never look. Here's what actually matters.
Rule of thumb: if the brand doesn't print pH on the bottle, they're probably not confident enough about it to put it in writing.
The South African National Bottled Water Association independently audits bottling facilities for safety and quality. Not every brand carries it.
The international food safety management standard. Especially important if you're buying for offices, events, hospitality or any regulated environment.
Designer Water prints pH 10+ on every bottle. Most brands sit around pH 6 – 8 and stay quiet about it. If you want to know what you're drinking, look for the number.
Kosher, Halal, GC Mark and GFSI all add independent verification on top of SANBWA and ISO. Designer Water carries all six.
How Designer Water pH10® stacks up against the major brands on price, certifications and pH level. All prices are 500ml retail unless noted otherwise.
| Brand | Type | 500ml | Per Litre | SANBWA | ISO 22000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designer Water pH10® | Alkaline (pH 10+) | R12.08 | R24.17 | ✓ | ✓ |
| PureSafe (Designer Water) | Purified | R9.00 | R18.00 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bonaqua | Purified | ~R12 | ~R24 | ✓ | Varies |
| Valpre | Spring | ~R14 | ~R28 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Woolworths Still | Spring | ~R10 | ~R20 | Varies | Varies |
Prices approximate, captured April 2026. Case pricing offers materially better per-unit value than single bottles. Competitor pricing varies by retailer.
Designer Water comes in six sizes. The bigger the bottle, the cheaper the per-litre rate — the 10L drops to under R10 per litre.
Order before 12:00 and we dispatch same day. Or pick up locally from one of 5,500+ Waterpreneur distributors operating across all nine provinces.
Independent distributors operating in all nine South African provinces. Order locally without waiting for a courier.
Orders placed before midday dispatch the same day to Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and major metros.
Designer Water reaches every province in South Africa. Bulk and business pricing available for offices, events and hospitality.
The most common questions South Africans ask about bottled water, with straight answers based on certifications, published research and our own bottling experience.
It depends what you're optimising for. If you want the highest pH, the most independent certifications, and the strongest taste-test performance, Designer Water pH10® leads the South African market. We hold six certifications (SANBWA, ISO 22000, Kosher, Halal, GC Mark, GFSI) and 96.9% of participants preferred Designer Water in independent taste tests (n=574).
If you want a clean, neutral-pH purified water, our PureSafe range uses the same 14-stage filtration without the alkaline mineralisation step.
500ml bottled water in South Africa typically ranges from R8 to R15 depending on brand and type. Per litre, the spread runs from R9.30 (Designer Water 10L) to over R28 (premium spring water single-serve).
Buying in case quantities or larger formats drops the per-litre cost dramatically. Our 10L bottle is the cheapest premium alkaline water per litre on the South African market.
Bottled water from SANBWA-accredited brands goes through independent quality auditing. Tap water quality varies significantly by municipality and infrastructure age. If you're unsure about your local supply, a SANBWA-accredited bottled water gives you a consistent, verified alternative.
At minimum, look for SANBWA accreditation and ISO 22000 certification. SANBWA confirms the product meets South African bottled water standards. ISO 22000 confirms the facility runs under international food safety management protocols.
Additional certifications like Kosher, Halal, GC Mark and GFSI add layers of independent verification. Designer Water holds all six.
Yes. Designer Water delivers nationwide. Orders before 12:00 dispatch the same day. You can also collect from any of 5,500+ Waterpreneur distributors operating in all nine provinces — usually faster than waiting for a courier.
For bulk or business deliveries, message us on WhatsApp (+27 68 628 4427) or email [email protected].
Purified water goes through filtration to remove contaminants. The filtration also strips minerals, leaving a neutral pH around 6.5 – 7.0.
Alkaline water adds minerals back through a controlled mineralisation step, lifting the pH above 7. Designer Water pH10® uses a 14-stage process that purifies first, then adds calcium, magnesium and potassium to reach pH 10+. Read more in our alkaline water benefits guide.
Yes. The Designer Water Waterpreneur Programme lets you start distributing bottled water from R539. No franchise fees, no monthly contracts, no equipment needed. Over 5,500 active Waterpreneurs distribute Designer Water across all nine South African provinces.
Among premium alkaline brands, the Designer Water 10L bottle at R9.30 per litre is the most cost-effective option on the South African market. Standard purified or municipal bottled water can be cheaper per litre, but lacks the mineral enrichment, elevated pH and full certification stack.
Six certifications. pH 10+. 14-stage filtration. Delivered across South Africa or available from 5,500+ Waterpreneurs near you. Start with a case.