Fresh Alka WaterSaving money
Is It Cheaper to Refill Water Than Buy Bottled in San Diego?
Short answer: yes, by a lot. Here's the math for a typical San Diego household, using our prices and the typical prices you'll see for bottled water at the grocery store.
Price per gallon
| Water | Price per gallon |
|---|---|
| Purified refill at Fresh Alka Water | 70¢ |
| Alkaline refill (pH 9–9.5) at Fresh Alka Water | $1.50 |
| Alkaline refill at other water stores nearby | $2.00 to $2.20 |
| Gallon jugs at the grocery store (typical) | about $1.50 to $2.00 |
| 24-pack cases of bottles (typical, about $5 to $7 a case) | about $1.60 to $2.20 |
Grocery prices change by store and by week, so treat those rows as typical ranges, not exact prices. A 24-pack of 16.9 oz bottles holds about 3.2 gallons.
What one 5-gallon fill costs
- Purified water here: $3.50
- Alkaline water here: $7.50
- Alkaline water at $2.00 to $2.20 a gallon elsewhere: $10.00 to $11.00
- Five grocery gallon jugs: about $7.50 to $10.00
What it adds up to in a year
Say your household goes through one 5-gallon jug a week. That's 260 gallons a year.
| Choice | Cost per year |
|---|---|
| Purified refills here | $182 |
| Alkaline refills here | $390 |
| Alkaline refills at $2.00 to $2.20 elsewhere | $520 to $572 |
| Grocery gallon jugs | about $390 to $520 |
Switching from grocery gallon jugs to purified refills saves about $208 to $338 a year. If you drink alkaline water, refilling here instead of at $2.00 to $2.20 a gallon saves $130 to $182 a year.
The one-time cost: your jug
You'll need a reusable jug. You buy it once and refill it for years. We carry 1, 3 and 5 gallon BPA-free and glass jugs, plus caps and dispensers. See our bottles and jugs. Already have jugs? Bring any clean, food-grade jug and fill it.
Less plastic, fewer trips
One 5-gallon fill holds about as much as 38 single-use 16.9 oz bottles. Refilling one jug every week keeps roughly 2,000 bottles a year out of your recycling bin, and you're not hauling cases from the store.
How to get the best price
- Pick the right water for the job. Many families use alkaline water for drinking and purified water for coffee, tea and cooking.
- Fill bigger jugs. One 5-gallon trip beats five 1-gallon trips.
- Use a prepay card at the counter so you skip cash on every visit.
- Fill up any time. Our 24/7 vending machine outside takes cash only: $1 and $5 bills, quarters, dimes and nickels. See 24/7 vending.
Our prices are as of October 2026. Grocery and other store prices are typical ranges and will vary.