Misté spring water is bottled at it's mountain source on a pristine, 1000 acre, high altitude farm in Dullstroom. The Estate is a nature reserve, home to many endangered species of fauna and flora including rare ground orchids.
So, we bottle water in an area of great natural beauty and purity - we think you'll taste it in the water, too.
People have used spring and mineral water since ancient times, as it is said to have many therapeutic properties. The beneficial properties of many European waters enjoy a long history. Julius Caesar, Leonardo da Vinci and Goethe are known to have preferred certain spring waters and baths. Water, both externally and internally, has been used for centuries for its cleansing and healing properties. Water also plays an important role in many religious traditions and ceremonies. People have used spring and mineral waters to cure such ailments as rheumatism, skin infections and poor digestion. The temperature of the water, the location, the altitude and the climate at the spring are all considered in the treatments. Many spring and mineral waters are attributed with therapeutic properties. Water is sold in many forms, ranging from that which is available in garden and household taps, to exclusive bottled waters from exotic locations all over the world.
The main categories of bottled water are: natural water, flavoured water, table water.
These waters can be still, naturally carbonated (gas free) or artificially carbonated (sparkling). The group term "natural water" can be misleading because all waters are natural - spring and mineral waters are referred to as natural waters to distinguish them from flavoured waters.
Spring water is defined as water derived from a subterranean source in solid rock, flowing at a constant rate and temperature quite unaffected by surface precipitation and contaminants, as opposed to static seepage water which rests in a subterranean basin under loose sand and soil, solely dependant on abundant and regular rainfall for replenishment.
Spring water may rise to the surface naturally or be assisted by mechanical means via a pump and piping system (Misté rises naturally and no pump is used). In either case, direct contact with the outer atmosphere upon emergence must be restricted to avoid the introduction of algal spores, bacteria, insects, animal matter and other contaminants. Of paramount importance is that the source be situated well away from any form of mining, industry, commercial farming or septic tanks.
Mineral water, although similar to spring water, these waters are derived from a subterranean source. They emanate from a geological area which releases certain minerals into the water passing through it. Depending on the location of the source, these minerals can include salts, for example sodium bicarbonate, lime, calcium, magnesium, sulphate, iron, silicon, oron, potassium, sulphur, natural fluorides and many others. Some mineral waters contain these minerals at very high levels (when compared to other waters) and many are thought to have therapeutic properties. There is also a school of thought which maintains that waters with a very high mineral content can be detrimental to one's metabolism. This view supports the notion that that the purpose of water consumption is to cleanse and flush the body and that water must not be seen as a nutrient.
A flavoured water is defined as a water, regardless of its source, that has been flavoured, and sometimes coloured, with natural or synthetic flavours. The source of these waters is often tap water that has been filtered, although some manufacturers use a spring or mineral water base. These waters are classifies as soft drinks, which means that an ingredient list must be given on the label. There is a perception that flavoured waters are slimming and healthy, but consumers would be well advised to check the ingredient list given on the label. One should be aware that although some flavoured waters have a spring or mineral water base, are kilojoule-free and use natural colourings and flavourings, others do contain sucrose and are therefore not slimming. Some flavoured waters contain only a small percentage of natural juices.
Broadly speaking, and for the purposes of describing bottled waters, there are the following categories of of colourings and flavourings:
Distilled water is purified commercially by a process of distillation and condensation.
Filtered water is strained through a special fine filter to remove some impurities. The process can be effected domestically using tap water and a good filter. However, for soda water and some mineral and flavoured waters, a more sophisticated and intricate filtration system is required, involving pure activated carbon and other substances, to produce clean water.
There are 2 main types of filtration:
Soda water is filtered water aerated with carbon dioxide and sold in bottles and cans. It is an acidulous preparation and contains bicarbonate of soda and other permitted trace minerals.
Tap water standards in South Africa are sometimes criticised for being lower than the standards in many other countries.
Although there are no legally enforceable standards for tap water in this country, regionalised water authorities maintain control over South African water supplies. Chlorine (disinfectant) is used to limit bacteria levels at the point of use. Chlorine, if used as the only control agent, will not remove dead bacteria and foreign waste.
The cost involved for water authorities to produce good quality water is considerable and is directly related to the price charged to the consumer. The aim of our water authorities is to produce the best quality water for drinking and other uses at the most feasible price. Only a tiny fraction is drunk in any case (less than 1% of the total supply in South Africa) - most is used for laundry, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, in the garden and in industry. Chemicals such as citrates and pesticides - some of which are carcinogenic - are not removed from drinking water.
Although the heavy metals present are at or sometimes below, SABS limits (in urban areas tap water is required to comply with specifications set out by the SABS), the body does not easily remove them, and potentially toxic build up might occur. However, quality standards are apparently designed for consumption of water over the lifetime of an individual (research based on a 70kg person over 70 years) at 2 litres per day with no cumulative toxic effect. Our tap water is recycled numerous times and residuals from various processes including mining, urination, etc., remain in the water. Tap water is treated to minimum standards by sedimentation, filtration and chemical treatment, which includes disinfecting using chlorine. Toxic metals, pesticides and industrial chemicals may still be found in the tap water after it is cleaned. Up to 50 chemicals may be used or can be formed in such treatments, many of which (like trihalomethanes from chlorine) are believed to be carcinogenic (Cancer causing). However, it has not been proven that tap water causes immediate harm to the body.