So you drive up and there's a little building where you can buy your containers and other supplies, then there's several slots where you can clean and refill your bottles. Problem is, the machines only take cash. The bottles are hard to carry, if you get the 5 gallon glass and fill it up. I have the stand that they sell to place the bottle on the counter but it does drip and if you have wood floors, that's an issue. They don't recommend water dispensers and recommend drinking the water room temperature. Their water is really good, I love the taste and feel good drinking it. It's worth the trouble for now, but long term it may get a little daunting. I do recommend their water and love the quality, too bad they haven't made this a little easier though. read more

The water itself is actually good -- clean, tastes great, and that's the only reason I come here. [[HIGHLIGHT]]But the place is a total dump. It feels like a scary movie set: flickering lights, run-down vibe, and the whole area is basically an unpaved dirt lot that turns into a muddy, dirty mess.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Pricing is also rough -- $7 for 5 gallons is steep, especially for a place that looks this neglected. And the payment setup is outdated and annoying. The machines don't take e-pay, and half the time they won't even take a $20. On top of that, they rarely give you change, so you're stuck hoping you have exact cash. Good water. Everything else? Embarrassing. Clean it up, fix the lights, pave the area, and upgrade the payment system. Ellen should be ashamed lol read more

Carlsbad Alkaline Water - Water Stores Near Me - Carlsbad, California

My experience wasn't that great because we were from out of town traveling thru, I really wanted to try some of that water but I didn't realize you needed to bring your own container I thought there would be like a little store front there or something but that wasn't the case. So there was no service, it's out doors and it's a vending machine like the ones you see at supermarket parking lots. You need to bring your own containers. Remember that part if you head out that way. read more

Great water, but very pricey at $1.40/gal. You can also rinse out old containers for $.10 read more

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It stole my money and didn't even give it back ! A scam. Took a whole $5. Don't go to this machine ! read more

Carlsbad Alkaline Water - Stole my money - Water Stores Near Me - Carlsbad, California

A few of the other reviews talked about doing at home testing to evaluate the alkalinity and purity of Carlsbad Water, and the owners responded that at home testing wasn't accurate -- so I decided to get a formal high end laboratory analysis (EPA approved; the same standard of testing used for hospitals and medical facilities). In case the attached photos of the analysis are removed, I'll summarize the results here. First off, the water is *not* alkaline, but neutral (pH of 7.1, with a pH of 7 being considered neutral). The science behind the alkaline diet is pretty suspect, but if that's the reason you're getting your water here you'd be better off adding alka seltzer to your glass once you get home. Second, the water is very clean but it's not "reverse osmosis" level pure. The contaminants my analysis found were as follows: Lithium: 0.013 mg/L Silica: 0.9 mg/L Strontium: 0.005 mg/L Chloride: 31 mg/L Total Dissolved Solids: 64 mg/L These levels are well within the limits of safety established by the EPA, but they are present, for whatever that's worth. Beyond these few exceptions, the water was completely pure. I wonder if the silica content may be related to the piping used to transport the water and not the water itself. Outside of inorganic contaminants, no organic ones (ie. trihalomethanes and volatiles) were detected whatsoever. [[HIGHLIGHT]]As far as the location, sometimes there are sometimes homeless people around late at night, but that's Carlsbad.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Sometimes the machines short change you if they're short on cash, but 95% of the time they work well. The shop isn't always open at its advertised hours, but when they're there the staff is easy going and helpful. The water, considering its quality, is much cheaper and cleaner than anything you could get for the same price. Also it almost certainly has fewer microplastics in it than anything you buy in a plastic bottle (though testing for these is non-standardized and extremely difficult). Overall I'm really appreciative of their presence here -- they are a massive benefit to the community. read more

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Fantastic product. I like the simplicity. They don't want Visa/Mastercard to charge them outrageous fees so cash only. 24 hours a day available. read more

I have been a loyal customer of Carlsbad Drinking Water for over ten years drinking over 9 to 10 bottles a month for most of those years having had it delivered to my business and my home. I would always receive an email notification of my delivery drop off date. The recent Monday holiday came last month and I did not receive the notification so I was charged $20.00 for not putting my water bottles out. As a 17 year business owner I would have taken into consideration the 10 years of ordering 9 to 10 bottles a month before I charged such a customer but hey that is just me I like to keep my customers loyal and happy. Recently I needed to pause my account for a few months and so I notified Customer Service that I did not want any more bottles delivered just picked up. Instead I was informed by my apt. neighbor that they had left two of my filled bottles that had and took the rest. I called and emailed immediately and I was informed that the driver would not come back and that it is on me because they don't pick up filled bottles that I already had been charged for, that they needed to be empty. My water machine is a bottom bottle kind you can roll the bottle into. I was out of town and could not drink all the water but still it is my fault because I did not know this important fact that I was never informed about. This kind of B.S. customer service is not going to flourish in rising consciousness for much longer because customers are more self-aware, compassionate and will question everything! Never in a million years would I have done to this to a ten year customer who order almost ten bottles a month. This is really disheartening to be treated so bad. I would have spent the few dollars in gas and picked up the damn bottles instead they want an almost 70 year old woman who is legally disabled to pick up the bottles and drain them out for them. Good luck with that CAW!!! You just lost an incredible customer forever because customer loyalty is crucial and you are losing it with poor customer service!!!! Now I have two filled bottles sitting outside my door for some stranger to come by and drain for me while I am away so that you could pick them up some time in the future. Great job ! A.D. UPDATE: This morning they did the right thing and emailed me to say they will pick up the bottles! read more

I use to come here years ago, and was in the area and needed water so stopped by. I thought after so many years they would've fixed the conditions of the parking situation but sadly no. It's still the same dirty unpaved parking that's a hassle to get in and out of. Also, Either the water has drastically gotten worse or I just found a better place for alkaline, because I was not feeling the taste of it at all. So, I most likely won't be back. read more

5 gal delivery $22. 5 gal purchase $6. $16 delivery PER BOTTLE is wild. Was considering delivery to replace current service, however 5 5 gal would be $30 for water and $80 for delivery. That's nuts. Also, their website doesn't use SSL in 2025, so RIP to those people entering in their CC# on their webform. It bought back memories of Geocities. read more

Not sure why they would use a #7 plastic for the water bottles they sell!? . #7 plastic is a BPA plastic that's not recommended for food or beverage!! read more

Not worth it price gouging & many say their tests come back not alkaline. Gimmick. Look how they talk to their customers on Google reviews.

This is a exceptionally healthy water. I have been drinking it for 7 years and have been very happy. I am grateful that there are vital trace minerals in this water as opposed to RO water where all the benefits of water have been removed. read more

Never again! Been coming here on and off for years and this is it! The quality has gone so incredibly low and disgusting. Done with CAW! One I have watched them transferring water to plastic containers while leaving them in the sun for hours to soak in the plastic from behind the gates. Two on multiple occasions have received dirty water with small hairs in it. I have tried to blame it on everything but the CAW giving them the benefit of the doubt to many times. I invite you to fill your water and hold it up against the sun and see what you see! Its gross! Filtered maybe for chlorine and basics but how deep and powerfull are there actual filters? If they can't get small hairs and debris what makes you think it is filtering viruses and other horrid things from you water that are present in unfiltered water? There are zero excuses! Wild I noticed whenever I drink this water I instantly get CV! Anyone else?? Three [[HIGHLIGHT]]the set up is horrid. Expect a muddy mess. Water pressure is horrible splashes everywhere and waste water![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Machines are jankity and ghetto af![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Cash only no card in a digital world. Parking can be a nightmare. Lost all my respect! Cheap and convenient but absolutely not quality or worth of cellular hydration! read more

I love this place the water is so healthy and comes from an all natural well that was dug in the 1800's . What an amazing place we are so lucky to have this business producing this great water . Their delivery service is top notch too and Michael is so polite and helpful working hard everyday to deliver this water! read more

Used to get my water here all the time. 24hr availability is nice, but sometimes it feels sketchy in the dark outdoors at night. Since the price hike up to $1.20 I've taken my business elsewhere, either Lazy Acres for o.99 a gallon alkaline or any of the fine mom and pop water spots locally. read more

Not open when they say they will be. Super bummed. Waste of a drive. Maybe update your website

Water tastes good. Service is excellent when staff is available. I don't recommend using the self service coin machines outside of regular business hours as they can be unpredictable. Parking can be difficult at busy times and I don't like the lack of a paved lot. read more

I honestly don't know what is becoming of this place and the integrity of the water or the proprietors. It was 60 cents a gallon not that ong ago, or $1.20 for 3 gallons, now it is $4.20 for the same 3 gallons or a 250% increase in just a few years! - For apparently no other reason than gouging! - Note: There is new but stagnant construction adjacent to the facility (is it jeopardizing quality? We don't know. No statements or postings about it). -ZERO improvements to the outdated water kiosks - STILL CASH ONLY (and it Often rejects your bills) - No CREDIT OR APPLE PAY; and the change dispensed OFTEN SHORTS YOU! This is especially frustrating after hours! Meanwhile they are pumping out ginormous amounts to supply Costco and Supermarkets?! It is hard to believe this is sustainable. They continue a campaign of silence - no reports of independent water testing Ever - let alone updated ones post construction and supplying CostCo & more(!) [[HIGHLIGHT]]The facility seems in disrepair- Zero improvements, and a janky ever blinking light above the restroom for months if not a year +??[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Being at the end of the Ca water pipeline and how gross my tap is I still reluctantly go - but it is anything but confidence inspiring. I have left numerous voice mails and never been called back. The help onsite directed me here - to Yelp(!). I just wish it was better. Seems doable - I'm a 1000% certain they are making money hand over fist. Hope they realize taking care of the goose that lays the golden eggs - and the folks that buy the eggs (so to speak) - would be in their own best long-term interest. read more

Always come to this place to get drinking water. Price keeps on going up though. I still come bc its good water! read more

Went for first time today Just a bit confused They say it's 8.7 ph but I tested it at 7.6 Alkalinity quite low too around 40 If you put this water in a pool it would eat the plaster. Maybe I'm missing something read more

Really good tasting water BUT I agree with the reviews that the machines can be frustrating with the water dousing, problems with change. I was there today and she was not helpful and rude. I agree with the reviewers who said that they need to get new staff. read more

Love the water! You should know the machines can give problems with not filling up and coming out so fast that the water will end up all over your shirt. It happens a lot with the 1 and 3 gallon where it does not fill up the container, missing some ounces. We do not ask for money back but just let the employees know. They do not accept credit cards so you rely on cash. However, the employees are bad to customers. We've had issues with getting change or the machines. I think their names are Lorena and Amanda. Lorena said that the machines always work for her and that it is us, very unprofessional. However, if you look at many of the reviews, they are saying the same things we are. Amanda has a weird rule where you cannot get too close to the to the entrance of the store. If you don't want people close to the entrance, put up a sign. Customers are not mind readers. Both talked down to us several times. Will is the exception. We had problems getting change. Will checked it and said it was stuck and helped us. The other two, Amanda and Lorena are a waste. Tell customers when machines are giving problems and get new staff. read more

Been getting our family water here for about a decade. People always talk about the "flavor" being so good and all of that. Honestly, I don't know what they're talking about cuz don't notice any "flavor". I will say that it is fresh and feels very clean and when I've been drinking nothing but that for awhile, and then have water from a different source I certainly notice the difference but it's not taste necessarily or maybe it is cuz I cannot identify what else it might be? Again, for me it simply "tastes" fresh and "clean". Maybe pure is a better way to label it? Let's just say it is superior to bottled or tap water by far! Over the 10 or so years we've drawn our H2O from here, they've raised the price 3 times. I believe it is currently $1.20/gallon. Very reasonable. A pack of bottled water at Ralphs is $8 so it is the better deal by far especially when considering quality and "taste"!!! Had to say that. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'd actually knock a half Star off due to the crowds you'll encounter at most times throughout the day or especially on Sunday!!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I think many customers drive from as far as Los Angeles or the desert which can be 2-3 hours! YO!!! read more

My family and I have been filling our water at Carlsbad Alkaline for years and years. In the most recent couple of years, however, things have gone downhill and now are just downright awful. After today's visit, I don't plan on returning again. Details from just today's visit, 8/10/22: -Two of the four machines are out of order -Machines, plexiglass doors and the inside of the machines are filthy and basically deteriorating. It appears no one is taking care of this place. -Still stuck the Stone Age, machines won't accept a bill larger than $10, nor do they accept card/Apple Pay. It's a painstaking event to track down an to make change if you brought a $20+ bill. -The "parking lot" isn't being taken care of, and all the gravel has been rolled away/scattered and reduced to mostly dirt, meaning you can't really set your containers down without risking getting dirt and debris inside the machines, hence the filthy machine conditions. -Our fill left $2.50 in the machine. When retrieving our change back, it dumped $2.50 in DIMES back to us. Not completely unheard of, but super inconvenient. Based purely on the many hoops one must jump through to get "The Most Healthful Water," I can't justify this spendy water any longer. So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye! read more

CARLSBAD ALKALINE WATER has long been our drinking water source. we nearly always have thirty-five or forty gallons on hand. as a former boy scout, i stay prepared for the pending zombie apocalypse​. ​ when they're full, five-gallon bottles are unwieldy​ (impossible for the kids to manage when they were little) but the smaller two-gallon ones have a really short counter life (that's where we keep the rack dispenser) making for a difficult conundrum. trying to stay balanced, i keep a half-dozen of each. being the local go-to place for H2O, parking can be a challenge especially if you're backing your full-sized pickup into a not-so-full-sized parking space. they're NOT Clairmont Mesa-scaled but still a squeeze. since i'm already in the neighborhood, every now and then after refilling all the empties, i slide across the street and eat at Swami's. good idea to show up at Carlsbad Alkaline with a stack of singles, even if it means raiding the stash you've saved for table dances -- sometimes life comes down to hard choices. read more

Yall need to take cards!! my review has to be longer but that is my review a place like this where you need to go get let's see I don't know 15 gallons of water I don't have $15 in cash usually and you guys need to make it easy for people to get water not carry around a bunch of ones like who has a bunch of one dollar bills... I'll go to my local water place that accepts cards. By the way it's 1.20 for water so... your change is not correct if you do pay with cash half the time. read more

Best water around not only does it taste amazing but it saves me money. I highly recommend this water to anyone that wants to just look and feel amazing! read more

Very good friend of mind once told me you are what you drink that's why I love getting my water from Carlsbad alkaline spring water some of the finest H2O in the world alkalinity upwards towards 9.2 totally fresh delicious and pure. I was talking to young man one day while he was getting his jugs refilled he explained to me his dog used to have arthritis but after serving his dog Carlsbad alkaline spring water for 6 months the dog was running up the stairs jumping on the couch and feeling fine I'm not making any claims I got to say when I'm drinking Carlsbad alkaline Spring Water I feel great I would recommend anybody who's in the area bring your jugs get them filled and enjoy some of the finest water in the world. Oh by the way I think they also sell it at Costco in Carlsbad and Delmar check it out you'll feel great. By the way that's some mighty fine H2O there read more

Carlsbad Alkaline Water - Alkaline water - Water Stores Near Me - Carlsbad, California

You can surely taste the difference of the water. You also feel more hydrated drinking this water throughout the day. Everything is self serve and they only take cash they take quarters, 1's, 5's, and 10's. They might also take 20's but I'm not sure. There are designated spots specifically to refill your gallon and every time we've gone it is always really busy. But I love how it is so close to the beach! read more

Cleanest water you will find. I won't drink anything else, even though we have to drive 40 minutes to this location.

Just picked up my 1st 5 gal jug. Lucky the employee was still there to get me a 5 gal. Gave me a few tips. Very useful! I'm using a water dispenser for hot, cold, and room temp. There was a line, but nothing bad. The dirt lot is whatever. These are north county entitled whiny weenies with the negative reviews. Worth the wait (if there's a line) for your health. Bring small bills and coins. I rinsed and filled for $5.10. Or $1.79 per bottle. Maybe I'm lucky that I live up the street, so filling after work is no problem. read more

Carlsbad Alkaline Water - Easy bottom stored install. - Water Stores Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Unbelievable it's up 20% !!!! Where that come from?! We are the ones that do the SERVICE, the water is the same! We spent our gas, our time to drive, be in line and fill up the bottles that are not even the full gallon anymore! We should NOT pay extra for their extra holes and bottles to sell in big stores! In fact this water bellow belongs to all citizens that pay tax to live in this area, it should free or minimum cost! read more

I tried digging for water when I was a kid. Water coming out of the tap had a nasty taste. Boiling it helped. I gathered all the objects I could find and started digging. It was hard work as the dirt was hard and rocky. About a foot deep I hit clay and couldn't go any deeper with my screwdrivers and garden spade. Thus ended my quest to find cold refreshing well water. In the time since I have tried many waters. I tried the pitchers with a carbon filter. Water tasted a bit better from the tap but there was a unique flavor from the pitchers I tried which was a bit objectionable. Sometimes your cup of water come with tiny flecks of carbon dust. I tried the carbon filter you screwed on the end of the faucet. Water tasted much like with the pitcher. My best experience with a carbon filter was with the filter included in my GE fridge. It provided cold water and ice with pretty much all objectionable flavors removed. I tried the reverse osmosis filtered water at work. It was strange water as there was no flavor to it. I tried the machines in front of the supermarket. They are suppose to use carbon filtration and reverse osmosis to remove everything bad for you. There were no flavors I didn't like. It was good clean water with a bit more flavor than the reverse osmosis water from work. I tried the PB Water store. Water goes through carbon filtration, reverse osmosis, and some other filters which I forget what they do. I like the minimal flavor a bit better than the grocery store machines. I like how they keep the place and the machinery clean. I tried lots of bottled waters from local grocery stores. Some of my favorites were Voss, Fuji, and Sparklett's. These waters tasted great but were pricey. One day I read about Carlsbad alkaline water. I was excited to read it's well water and only 70 cents/gallon. I didn't taste any flavors I don't like. I love the light clean flavor of Carlsbad alkaline water. It has been a long journey but my quest for cold refreshing water is complete. Thanks for digging this well for me back in 1882. This is now my favorite spot to get water. I met the owner while she was working on the machine and she was very friendly and informative. read more

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The water is amazing! We have been a customer for years. However, we purchased six five-gallon bottles here and all of them have cracked at the bottom within four months of use leaking water everywhere inside our home and vehicles. We fill up once a week. I will not be purchasing any more products from here. read more

Not anymore. I switched to local Vista water dispenser. Confortable and no dusty parking at all. Carlsbad city oficiales should take care of dusty parking lot a front of water dispensers. Zero, zero ********** read more

Me: "The filler spout on my bottle broke. (After 2 months) Can I have a new one? Water Guy: No. We can't replace them. They don't last very long. A new one is $14... read more

The long lines are worth the wait! Very convenient, easy access. Some of the best water you'll ever taste.

Will was working today, he was awesome!!! I've never been to Carlsbad Water so I needed help with the process. He gave me advice on keeping clean bottles, assisting me with the removal of spigot, rinsing before using and cash only. They have 3 and 5 gallon jugs available for purchase and extra caps too. Thanks Will for your patience and kindness. read more

Amazing water, but why no access to tubs? The water is amazing. My family member who lived in Armenia says the taste reminds her of the water they had back in their country. Which is one of the best tasting waters in the world, and you can even drink it straight from a sink faucet. Being a water enthusiast and having tried a few places that are sourcing from mineral water wells, I was hoping that there will also be a place where one can soak in the tub. After all, people pay a lot of money for that -- just for renting a tub for an hour, let alone for renting a room that has a private tub that you don't have to share with anyone else and that you can have alllll to yourself and fill up and drain whenever you'd like. There are not many places like that out there and they are in very high demand. One of them is up north, a few are in Dessert Hot springs and there used to be one in Paso Robles that we used to love to go to, until they disconnected it from the mineral water source. And for the dumbest reason ever! Some people complained that water smells. Duh. It's sulfur and that's how it's supposed to smell, and that was the whole point why people would pay extra money to stay there (cuz it was definitely not for the sake of old carpet flooring. lol) Anyway. I have called many places and have heard a lot of excuses as to why they no longer offer private in-room hot tubs. Some say it costs extra to clean. Well. Whatever the extra cost is, why not just charge it to your clients? Or include it in the cost. Or give it as an option and let the customer choose, if they want to go that route. If I'm specifically looking to stay in the room that offers mineral water tub, the odds are I'll be willing to pay for a clean-up fee as well. I mean, I understand there are some complexities associated with running a place like that, and there has to be a certain kind of piping and also there is fear of property getting damaged. But you can always take an advance deposit for damages, and if your pipes are already set up to take that kind of water might as well make profit on it, while helping people benefit from it too. For example, I don't think it's worth paying for any hotel room and sleeping on any mattress other than my own, unless that room offers something that my home doesn't have which, in this case, is mineral hot water (no I'm not a fan of swimming in chlorinated pool). Because I know that naturally sourced water has many healing benefits, and besides being good for your skin, it's also great for your mood, your Internal systems and organs and just an overall mental well-being and relaxation. And these rooms with hot tubs (aka spa rooms) are always first to be sold out. And if other resorts and hotels do it (and charge a pretty penny for it), it means there is a way of doing it and it's not impossible. Just find someone to manage it (believe me, lots of people would want a job that also allows access to sitting in the tubs lol, I sure would), hire the workers and give access to this amazing water to people. Here you have this great property (that already has pre-installed tubs) sitting on the well with this amazing water, and it has so much potential and can give so much joy and good experience and health benefits to people (it's good karma too, to give good to people). I think it'll be a hit -- a little hidden gem that has what other places in the area don't. I mean why the heck not? PS you have a very knowledgeable worker there who knows a lot about the right water containers! read more