Does Bottled Water Go Bad?

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If you look at a bottle of water, you might notice some things: There are claims that the water is from a natural spring, where it hasn’t been disturbed for thousands of years. Also, there is an expiry date to inform you that it expires in six months.

What is going on here exactly? Perhaps it has something to do with the bottling process that can turn the water terrible, or maybe it is the bottled water companies pumping water from underwater springs in the few months before they expire.

Neither of these things explains it.

Why Does Bottled Water Expire?

Expiry dates are printed onto bottles at the same time as other info related to the plant’s date, etc. They use the same machines used for sodas made by these manufacturers.

Additionally, the bottling companies will stamp the bottles with expiration dates instead of having a machine just for the water that doesn’t have an expiry date.

Another reason why there are expiry dates on the bottles is because of New Jersey. The state passed a law in 1987 that required bottle expiry dates.

Instead of a unique manufacturing process for bottles going to New Jersey, printing expiration dates on all water bottles was simpler. The law was retracted 20 years later, but the act of stamping bottles with the expiration date continues.

Can Water go Bad?

Bottled water does not go bad after expiration as other drinks and foods do. It does not contain sugars and protein, and it gets broken down by microbes, which causes it to go bad.

Although, it may taste strange if it is left long enough, as chemicals from the bottle leak into the water.

Even though the FDA sees it safe if your water tastes funny after the expiration date, you may want to avoid any potential “forever chemicals,” which are linked to some studies to cancer.