Bottled vs. tap: Can you really taste the difference?

Two-thirds (65%) of Americans flat out admit they are "picky" about the type of water they drink, according to new research.

That's according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults which was conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water, and found that many have strong convictions about their water preferences.

Another 57% can tell what type of water they're drinking without knowing where it came from.

In fact, 39% of these respondents can identify if they're drinking from a bottle or the tap while taking the first sip. Another one in 10 (9%) say they just need to see the cup to be sure, while 13% can tell by smelling it.

And their preferences run deep, as 43% won't drink tap water from certain places. About one-third (35%) will go so far as to bring their own water with them whenever they leave the house.

Taking things a step further, 28% believe they can tell the difference between certain brands of bottled water and a similar number (27%) can taste the difference between filtered and spring water.

More than one-third (37%) of those polled would even sooner be thirsty than drink their least favorite type of water.

The vast majority of respondents prefer bottled water to tap (70% vs 13%) and spring water has the edge over filtered water (46% vs 38%).

More than half of those polled (54%) have a favorite brand of bottled water and 64% of these respondents even have a mental list of the best and worst bottled brands.

According to the results, the No. 1 reason respondents believe their favorite bottle is the best is because it's sourced naturally or from a spring (42%), even outranking things like cost (34%) and availability (33%).

Despite Americans' strong opinions, the survey unveiled several knowledge gaps, especially in terms of the composition and origin of spring water.

While 81% say they've read the label on their favorite brand, only 33% are "very aware" of where it's sourced from. Fewer (30%) are "very aware" of the composition of their favorite bottled water.

(Talker Research)

Still, more than three in five of those polled (62%) say it's important to them to know where their water is sourced.

Another 63% would even go so far as to say they'd be likely to change their favorite brand of bottled water if they were more aware of where it came from.

"Our research shows that Americans care deeply about where their water comes from, not just how it tastes," said Anne‑Charlotte de La Porte, Vice President of Marketing at CG Roxane. "In fact, 61% of respondents correctly identified that natural spring water originates from underground aquifers and flows naturally to the earth's surface, which signals a growing awareness around sourcing and why transparency matters in the bottled water category."

One in five (20%) incorrectly believe that all bottled water is heavily treated, yet 45% are aware that one of the purposes for treating water is to remove harmful chemicals and one-third are familiar with the need to remove man-made contaminants.

Though many respondents favor certain brands due to their natural source, few respondents are familiar with traits associated with spring water. According to the results, only 27% are aware that spring water is not heavily purified or treated.

Fewer (25%) know that spring water contains natural electrolytes or that it's easy to monitor and maintain quality controls (16%).

"Spring water comes directly from nature, which means it doesn't require heavy treatment or filtration," de La Porte added. "Because it's collected as it naturally flows to the surface, it retains naturally occurring minerals that contribute to its character. Helping consumers better understand what spring water is - and what it isn't - is an important part of building trust."

Research methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by CG Roxane and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between March 19 to March 23, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR's Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.

The post Bottled vs. tap: Can you really taste the difference? appeared first on Talker.

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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 7:58 AM.