# Why don't they sell canned water? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 28, 2005, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159 "2005-06-28T06:22:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/1 "2005-06-28T06:22:44Z")
Everything else seems to come in the option of either a bottle or a can. So why is it that you can only get bottled water and not water in cans? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/2 "2005-06-28T07:26:04Z")
[Apparently you can get canned water in certain states](http://www.chinapacknet.com/packnews/newscenter%5C200532183332.htm) but it’s “specialty” water. As to why plain old water isn’t canned, I assume (if it’s not) it’s a consumer demand issue. Most people are happy enough with the resealable plastic bottles so there’s not a market for non-resealable cans. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/3 "2005-06-28T07:29:30Z")
[Oh, it looks like Coca Cola sells (or sold) Dasani water in cans for vending machines too](http://www.watertechonline.com/news.asp?mode=4&N_ID=16417). ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/4 "2005-06-28T08:01:28Z")
Yes, you can find it in vending machines, and I’ve sometimes seen it on airplanes (though usually they use one big bottle and a lot of plastic cups). I notice that a grocery circular that arrived in our mailbox this morning includes a special on cases of canned water. So it exists, but it does seem to be rare. As **Otto** said, that probably means there isn’t enough demand for it. ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/5 "2005-06-28T08:16:16Z")
Because no-one in their right mind would _pay_ for water from a… shit, hang on… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/6 "2005-06-28T12:03:19Z")
I’m drinking a can of “Mendota Lemon Sparkling Water” right now. It’s pretty much a staple in our house. Not sure if it fits the OP or not, as it’s _sparkling_ water, not regular ol’ flat water, but it does indeed come in a can. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/7 "2005-06-28T12:25:31Z")
I’ve seen ads on TV stating that when a disaster struck some town, one of the beer companies, Busch or Miller, sent truckloads of canned water to help out until their water distribution system was back in order. Not sure what the difference is between Busch beer and canned water anyhow. I think I’ve seen cans of water in military use. Could be mistaken though. ---
**Author:** ![Fringe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b5a626/32.png) [@Fringe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fringe)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/8 "2005-06-28T12:44:05Z")
I’ve had canned water before. It’s not very appealing. I think that’s why it’s so rare. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/9 "2005-06-28T12:44:14Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > I think I’ve seen cans of water in military use. Could be mistaken though. When I was in the Civil Air Patrol we had mil-spec cans of water in our survival kits. You used to be able to buy them at surplus stores, but nowadays the only thing I’ve seen available emergency-wise is bagged water (like juice bags). [This is also an option](http://pw1.netcom.com/~heliboy/dehydrated_water.jpg), and it comes in a metal tin. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/10 "2005-06-28T12:46:24Z")
WAG: There might be a milt metallic taint from canning which is not apparent in sugared drinks but would be more apparent in water. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/11 "2005-06-28T13:17:13Z")
**Johnny L.A.** , that is one of the greatest inventions I’ve ever seen. I bet that’s what they use on the space shuttle! ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/12 "2005-06-28T13:21:02Z")
Well, I think that the difference in markets between plastic water bottles and metal cans of water is that plastic is assumed to be a more temporary storage medium. The only metal cans, or cannisters of water I’ve seen have been in survival issues. Water kept for survival purposes isn’t aerated, but most drinking water is. If you want a clear demonstration of the difference in taste, take the mesh out of your sink faucet, and drink the water that comes out. Of course the cans I’m thinking of are cans like the ones that food comes in, not the aluminum cans that one gets soda in. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/13 "2005-06-28T13:21:32Z")
> [@audiobottle](#): > > **Johnny L.A.** , that is one of the greatest inventions I’ve ever seen. I bet that’s what they use on the space shuttle! Earlier than that! I remember a (taller, narrower) tin of it when I was a kid, so it might have been Apollo. Maybe even Gemini. I think I have four or five tins of it around here. Just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/14 "2005-06-28T13:30:41Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > I’ve seen ads on TV stating that when a disaster struck some town, one of the beer companies, Busch or Miller, sent truckloads of canned water to help out until their water distribution system was back in order. Not sure what the difference is between Busch beer and canned water anyhow. [It was Anheuser-Busch](http://www.anheuser-busch.com/news/CannedWaterFrances_090304.htm). ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/15 "2005-06-28T15:10:23Z")
[It was also Miller Brewing Company](http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_clickthrough?release_id=4065&category=Food) [Here too](http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_clickthrough?release_id=4065&category=Food) ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/16 "2005-06-28T15:14:13Z")
I am stupid, both of those are to the same link. And Miller donated 31000 cases of bottled water to Hurricane Frances victims. Not canned. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/17 "2005-06-28T19:24:45Z")
As mentioned in **August West’s** link(s), Miller donates bottled water. I remember seeing a Miller ad after a disaster of some kind and thought it was neat how they were passing out familiar brown 40oz bottles but with plain white labels on them saying ‘drinking water’. I kinda wish I had one. The bottle, not the disaster. ---
**Author:** ![LittleSable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LittleSable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LittleSable)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-they-sell-canned-water/310159/18 "2005-06-28T20:04:22Z")
I had canned Dasani once on a camping trip. The faint metallic taste wasn’t the only thing that put me off- there was the initial shock of drinking something non-carbonated/ unsweetened from a can. I don’t know where we bought it initially and I haven’t seen any since.