OUR WATER
Naturally protected. thoughtfully bottled. openly explained.
Water shouldn't be a mystery. At Eleven86, we believe knowing what you drink is just as important as drinking it. This page was created to help you understand where our water comes from, what naturally makes it unique, and why transparency has always been part of our process. As you explore, you'll discover that every bottle begins long before it reaches our facility and every decision we make is guided by stewardship, science, and respect for the source.
EDUCATION MATTERS
Water is one of the most essential things we consume, yet it is often surrounded by confusing terminology and conflicting claims. Words like artesian, alkaline, electrolytes, and purified appear on countless bottles, but they rarely explain what those terms actually mean or why they matter.
FIND YOUR ANSWERS
Click a subject below to dive in.
common bottled water types
Artesian, spring, purified, and alkaline
What and how is water artesian
An interactive way to learn about pH
Why proper hydration matters
Find out what's in our water
At Eleven86, we believe consumers deserve more than marketing. They deserve transparency. That's why we've chosen to build this page around education instead of promotion. Whether you're learning about groundwater, naturally occurring minerals, or the journey water takes before reaching your bottle, our hope is simple: that you'll leave feeling more informed than when you arrived.
understanding common bottled water types
Not all bottled water begins the same way. While every category must meet strict safety and quality standards, the difference often starts with where the water comes from and how it reaches the bottle. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) establishes standards of identity that define several categories of bottled water based on their source or treatment. Understanding these categories can help you better understand the label you're holding.
ARTESIAN
Artesian water comes from a well that taps a confined aquifer, where natural underground pressure exists beneath layers of rock or clay. When the aquifer is accessed, that pressure naturally raises the water above the level of the aquifer, sometimes even to the surface. This protected underground environment helps preserve the water long before it reaches the bottling facility. The FDA recognizes artesian water as its own category based on this unique source.
SPRING
Spring water also originates underground, but it reaches the surface naturally through a spring. It may be collected directly at the spring or through a borehole connected to the same underground formation, provided the water maintains the same composition and quality as the naturally emerging spring. Depending on the source, spring water may still be filtered or disinfected before bottling to help ensure safety and quality.
PURIFIED
Purified water is defined by how it is treated, not where it starts. It may originate from groundwater, a well, or a municipal water supply before undergoing purification processes such as reverse osmosis, distillation, deionization, or other suitable treatments. When those processes meet FDA requirements, the product may be labeled as purified water.
Unlike artesian, spring, or purified water, "alkaline water" is not a separate FDA-defined category of bottled water.The term generally describes water with a higher pH, whether that pH occurs naturally because of the source or is achieved through treatment after collection. Some naturally sourced waters are mildly alkaline because of the minerals they contain, while other products are intentionally adjusted during processing. The pH alone does not identify where the water came from or how it was produced.
ALKALINE
Every bottled water category serves a purpose, and each begins with a different philosophy. Some focus on extensive purification, some on preserving naturally occurring minerals, and others on protecting the characteristics of a unique underground source. We chose to preserve the source.
Rather than creating a water profile after collection, we protect the naturally balanced water provided by our confined artesian aquifer and bottle it as close to the source as possible.
THE JOURNEY BELOW THE SURFACE
Eleven86 Real Artesian Water harvests their water from a confined aquifer
Graphic Source: U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Science School
Every bottle of Eleven86 begins hundreds of feet beneath the beautiful terrain of Autaugaville, Alabama, inside a naturally protected confined artesian aquifer. Unlike surface water, which is directly exposed to changing weather and environmental conditions, groundwater stored within a confined aquifer is naturally shielded by layers of rock and earth that have helped protect it over time.
This natural environment allows the water to develop its own unique mineral profile while remaining untouched by unnecessary alteration. Rather than creating our water through extensive engineering, we focus on preserving the qualities nature has already provided.
From the source to the bottle, our goal is simple: protect what makes the water special.
UNDERSTANDING PH
pH is one way to describe the chemistry of the foods, drinks, and natural substances around us. Measured on a scale from 0 to 14, values below 7 are acidic, 7 is considered neutral, and values above 7 are alkaline or basic. Because the scale is logarithmic, even a one-point difference represents a significant chemical change.
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Move the marker to compare familiar examples across the scale and see where Eleven86 Real Artesian Water naturally rests. As you explore, remember that pH helps describe a product, but it does not tell its entire story. Source, ingredients, mineral composition, processing, nutritional value, and overall quality all matter too.
Natural products can vary because nature is not manufactured to produce the exact same number every time. Their pH may shift slightly based on growing conditions, ripeness, minerals, temperature, and the environment. Many processed products, by comparison, are intentionally formulated to maintain a specific acidity, flavor, texture, or shelf life. Eleven86 Real Artesian Water is not created around a manufactured number. Its naturally balanced pH reflects the water as it comes from the source, with only a very small amount of dissolved material present. Nothing is added simply to make the label sound more impressive.
REAL ARTESIAN. REAL HYDRATION.
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Water is one of the most essential nutrients your body depends on every day. From supporting normal body functions to helping you stay active and feel your best, hydration plays a role in nearly every system of the body. While individual needs vary, drinking enough water is one of the simplest habits you can build to support
a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy hydration begins with healthy habits. Eating a balanced diet, staying active, getting adequate rest, and drinking enough water all work together to support your body's natural processes. While many beverages are designed around flavors or functional claims, water remains the foundation of everyday hydration.
At Eleven86, we believe great hydration starts with respecting the source. Our role isn't to reinvent water — it's to protect it. From the naturally protected artesian aquifer to rigorous quality testing and bottling at the source, our commitment is to preserve what nature has already created. Explore our Water Profile below to see the naturally occurring characteristics that make Eleven86 Real Artesian Water uniquely its own.
WHY DOES OUR WATER TASTE DIFFERENT?
Every natural water source has its own unique character. Factors such as mineral composition, geological formations, and the path water takes underground all contribute to the taste, feel, and composition of the water that reaches the surface.​
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Rather than altering our water to achieve a particular flavor or trend, Eleven86 Real Artesian Water preserves the naturally balanced profile created within the artesian aquifer itself. The result is clean, crisp water that reflects its source — without unnecessary additives or artificial enhancement. Explore the tested characteristics of our water by selecting an attribute from our Water Profile below. We encourage you to learn more about us!
Our water makes only one important stop before reaching you: quality testing.
We continuously monitor the water throughout production and regularly send samples to independent third-party laboratories to verify its quality and consistency. Testing isn't about changing the water — it's about confirming that the water you enjoy today is the same naturally balanced artesian water the aquifer has provided all along.
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That's why you'll never find water that's been ionized, chemically enhanced or artificially mineralized to fit a trend.
god created it. we simply protect it.
Still curious? Let's dive deeper.
Curiosity doesn't stop here, and neither does the science behind great water. If you'd like to explore topics like groundwater, aquifers, PFAS, naturally occurring minerals, pH, bottled water terminology, regulations, and common misconceptions, we've created a growing collection of educational resources to help you continue learning.
Knowledge flows beyond the bottle.
Whether you're a student, a curious consumer, or simply someone who enjoys understanding what goes into your body, our Water Knowledge Hub is here whenever you're ready to explore.