Is Smartwater Bottled Water Safe? PFAS + Contaminant Testing Results (2026)
The Coca-Cola Company brand. Vapor-distilled tap with no public PFAS test data.
Quick answer
Smartwater is purified water from The Coca-Cola Company, bottled at Multiple US municipal sources. PFAS testing status: No public PFAS testing available. KnowYourExposure rates it C - Vapor-distilled tap with no public PFAS test data. No bottled water is a reliable long-term PFAS fix: a certified reverse-osmosis or NSF 53 filter removes PFAS from any tap or bottled source for a fraction of the cost.
How we rate: we report published third-party testing, primarily Consumer Reports' 2020 bottled water PFAS investigation, plus brand-published water quality reports. We do not test products ourselves, and where no independent PFAS testing exists we say so rather than estimate.
Quick facts
- Trust rating
- C (Vapor-distilled tap with no public PFAS test data)
- PFAS testing
- No public PFAS testing available
- Water type
- purified
- Bottled at
- Multiple US municipal sources
- Parent company
- The Coca-Cola Company
What we know about PFAS in Smartwater
Smartwater is purified municipal tap water that has been vapor-distilled and re-mineralized. Distillation is highly effective at removing PFAS because PFAS molecules do not vaporize at water's boiling point - they get left behind. So finished Smartwater is likely very low in PFAS, but Coca-Cola does not publish independent test results to confirm this.
Packaging and microplastics
PET plastic. Smartwater's "premium" positioning has drawn criticism for high price relative to source water (municipal tap).
Known issues, recalls & lawsuits
- No independent PFAS testing published despite premium positioning
- Multiple consumer complaints about source-water labeling
- Marketing implies special source despite municipal origin
Safer alternatives to Smartwater
- A countertop water distiller produces the same product for ~$0.10/gallon
- Reverse osmosis is more efficient than distillation and removes PFAS
- Refillable steel bottle + RO filter eliminates the markup and plastic
- For mineral content, San Pellegrino or Mountain Valley publish their data
Frequently asked questions
- Does Smartwater contain PFAS?
- Smartwater is purified municipal tap water that has been vapor-distilled and re-mineralized. Distillation is highly effective at removing PFAS because PFAS molecules do not vaporize at water's boiling point - they get left behind. So finished Smartwater is likely very low in PFAS, but Coca-Cola does not publish independent test results to confirm this.
- Where is Smartwater bottled?
- Smartwater is bottled at Multiple US municipal sources. The parent company is The Coca-Cola Company.
- Is Smartwater safer than tap water?
- Not necessarily. Smartwater is purified municipal tap water – the same source as your home tap, just filtered. A home reverse osmosis system produces equivalent water for $0.05/gallon.
- What's the safest alternative to Smartwater?
- Mountain Valley Spring Water consistently tests clean for PFAS and is bottled in glass. For everyday use, a Clearly Filtered or AquaTru reverse osmosis system removes 99% of PFAS from any tap source for a fraction of the cost.
- Has Smartwater been recalled?
- Yes – known issues include: No independent PFAS testing published despite premium positioning; Multiple consumer complaints about source-water labeling.