Bottled Water Is Poised To Outsell Soda By 2017

The American need for bottled water rose seven percent over the last year, and depending on how you feel about people paying for a substance that is nearly free, you may be pleased learn that water is poised to outsell soda by the year 2017.

According to forecasts from the Beverage Marketing Corporation, Nestlé sold more water last year — through brands Pure Life and Poland Spring — than Dr Pepper Snapple Group sold soda, making Nestlé the third-largest seller of nonalcoholic beverages, after Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.

Overall, it's not the best news for any of the major soda companies, but it's not the worst — Coke owns Dasani and Smartwater, and Pepsi owns Aquafina. Per capita water sales have doubled to 34.02 gallons from 16.74 gallons from 2000 to 2014, according to Beverage Marketing, while soda fell from 53.17 gallons to 39.92 gallons.

Soda, meanwhile, is facing something of a public relations crisis, as companies struggle to appear health-conscious and in touch with consumer needs.