Bottles of water sold in stores usually have an expiration date printed on the label. Most people assume because of this that the bottled water will spoil at some point and become unusable.
Bottled water is safe to drink long after its expiration date passes. Photo credit: Nacho Gonmi/Flickr
It turns out that that assumption is wrong, and that bottled water stays good and safe to drink for years after the expiration date expires. In fact, the expiration date is only on the label because of bureaucratic red tape.
All packaged food and drinks are required to have an expiration date, and that is the only reason why bottled water has one printed on the label.
As long as water is covered, such as inside a bottle, it will remain unspoiled for a long time. So as long as the cap is kept on the bottle you are good to go. Even if the water hasn’t been refrigerated and has been left out in the elements you will not get sick from drinking the water.
What causes drinking water to go bad is when organic material contaminates the water which brings bacteria and other microscopic organisms that can make a person sick.
Dust and airborne particles collect on the surface of open water before sinking. As the matter decays, it brings with it bacteria and other living organisms that can upset your stomach.
Water that is bottled in plastic containers can take on bad tastes and smells over time, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not good to drink. Bottled water kept in the refrigerator can take on the smell and taste of pungent foods it is stored with. Water stored in a garage can take on the taste of petroleum or exhaust.
So if you come across an unopened bottle of water you can pretty much ignore the expiration date printed on its side. It has almost no relevancy to whether or not it is still good to drink or not.
As long as the water was clean initially, which all bottled water is, it is fine to drink. You only need to worry if the water has been sitting with its cap off for a long period of time as I would put it at risk for contamination.
 |  |  |  |
| Camelbak Eddy | Nalgene Tritan | Hydro Flask | Polar Bottle |
Leave a Comment