Sparkling water—of the boozy variety or otherwise—is a fan-favorite summer beverage. You don't need me to tell you that. What you might *not* know, however, is that your go-to non-alcoholic seltzer could also contain potentially dangerous chemicals.

Now before you freak out and empty every can in your fridge, let's talk about what that means. Back in 2020, Consumer Reports found that 47 bottled waters—including 35 non-carbonated and 12 carbonated—contained four heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury), as well as 30 PFAS chemicals.

What are PFAS chemicals?

If you're unaware of PFAS, here's the gist: the "per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances" (PFAS) are man-made chemicals that are found in food packaging, stain-resistant fabrics, and more, CBS News reports. The chemicals have been tied to a number of health concerns, including low birth weight, cancer, and thyroid hormone disruption, the Environmental Protection Agency has warned. They've been dubbed "forever chemicals" because of their ability to, well, last forever in our bodies and in the environment.

Which sparkling water brands have PFAS chemicals?

According to Consumer Reports, these sparkling water brands had the highest PFAS contents in 2020. The levels are measured in or parts per trillion, or ppt.

  1. Topo Chico Natural Mineral Water (9.76)
  2. Polar Natural Seltzer Water (6.41)
  3. Bubly Blackberry Sparkling Water (2.24)
  4. Poland Spring Zesty Lime Sparkling Water (1.66)
  5. Canada Dry Lemon Lime Sparkling Seltzer Water (1.24)
  6. La Croix Natural Sparkling Water (1.16)
  7. Perrier Natural Sparkling Mineral Water (1.1)

Coca Cola's Topo Chico contained the highest level of PFAS with 9.76 ppt in 2020. Following the controversy, in 2021 the brand said it cut its PFAS in half and that it was upgrading its filtration system "to ensure the continued safety and quality of Topo Chico into the future." The only problem? Those chemical levels are still above the cut-off that scientists and consumer advocates say is needed, according to Consumer Reports.

In response to the original report, Nestlé Waters said that they found "undetectable levels of PFAS" in its Poland Spring 100% Natural Spring Water, Deer Park Brand Natural Spring Water, and Perrier Brands.

"Consumer Reports is calling for tougher standards to limit PFAS chemicals in bottled water," James Rogers, Director of Food Safety Research and Testing for Consumer Reports, told CBS. "Industry can do much better since many brands we tested have levels well below the 1 ppt level, showing that it can be done."

The sparkling water brands with the lowest levels of PFAS are: Sparkling Ice Black Raspberry Sparkling Water (none detected), Spindrift (0.19 ppt), San Pellegrino (0.31 ppt), Dasani (0.37 ppt), and Schweppes (0.58 ppt).