Convenient and environmentally-friendly: home delivery service for water is trending. This article will help you make the right decision – including glass vs. plastic bottle delivery, prices, how much water your family needs, and what home delivery service to choose in the Los Angeles area.
Costco offers the cheapest water delivery for plastic bottles. El Dorado Natural Spring Water has the best price for water in glass bottles. On average, water in glass bottles is 3.5x more expensive.
Let’s dive right into all topics you need to consider when deciding to have water delivered to your home or changing your current service.
1. Best Services For Glass Bottles
Whereas in European countries, spring water in glass bottles is the norm, glass bottles in the US are a more recent trend.
More and more people are switching to glass bottles for health reasons. Water delivery services, however, are only adapting very slowly.
On average, each 5-gallon glass bottle costs around $16to $28 each for home deliveries.
So, which delivery services offer water in glass bottles?
In the greater Los Angeles area there are only 5 companies that deliver their spring water in either 3- or 5-gallon glass bottles.
- Live Water
- El Dorado Natural Spring Water
- Mountain Valley Water Co.
- California Glacial
- Paradise Bottled Water
Let’s look at the best services for spring water in plastic bottles in the Los Angeles delivery area.
Prices For Spring Water In Glass Bottles
Sorted in ascending order by price/gallon
| Company |
Type of Bottle |
Bottle Size |
Price p. Unit |
Price/Gallon |
| El Dorado Natural Spring Water |
Glass |
3 Gallon |
9.75 USD |
3.25 USD |
| Mountain Valley Water Co. |
Glass |
5 Gallon |
24.95 USD |
4.99 USD |
| Paradise Bottled Water |
Glass |
5 Gallon |
24.95 USD |
4.99 USD |
| Live Water |
Glass |
3 Gallon |
13.00 USD |
5.20 USD |
| California Glacial |
Glass |
3 Gallon |
17.00 USD |
5.67 USD |
Discounts for yearly contracts and special discounts as well as bottle deposits may apply.
2. Best Services For Plastic Bottles
Whereas glass bottles are a more recent trend in the US, water in plastic bottles has been around for decades.
On average, each 5-gallon plastic bottle costs around $7 to $9 each for home deliveries.
What are the best Delivery Services for water in plastic bottles in LA?
In the Los Angeles area there are 5 companies that deliver their spring water in either 2.5-, 3-, or 5-gallon plastic bottles.
- Ready Refresh
- El Dorado Natural Spring Water
- Costco (Membership required)
- Paradise Bottled Water
- The Mountain Valley Spring Water
Let’s take a look at prices for spring water in plastic bottles and then do a comparison between glass vs. plastic bottles.
Prices For Spring Water In Plastic Bottles
Sorted in ascending order by price/gallon
| Company |
Type of Bottle |
Bottle Size |
Price p. Unit |
Price/Gallon |
| Costco (Membership required) |
Plastic |
5 Gallon |
6.49 USD |
1.30 USD |
| El Dorado Natural Spring Water |
Plastic |
5 Gallon |
7.95 USD |
1.59 USD |
| Ready Refresh (Nestlé) |
Plastic |
5 Gallon |
7.99 USD |
1.60 USD |
| Paradise Drinking Water |
Plastic |
5 Gallon |
8.45 USD |
1.69 USD |
The Mountain Valley Water Co.: |
Plastic |
5 Gallon |
9.95 USD |
1.99 USD |
| The Mountain Valley Water Co.: – Mountain Valley Spring Water |
Plastic |
4 Gallon |
17.95 USD |
4.49 USD |
Discounts for yearly contracts and special discounts as well as bottle deposits may apply.
3. Water Delivery Prices: Glass Vs. Plastic
The average household will spend between $30 and $50 a month on water delivery services.
Depending upon whether you chose glass or plastic bottles, prices vary significantly. On average, water in glass bottles is 3.5x more expensive.
Average Price/GallonPlastic Bottle | Average Price/Gallon Glass Bottle |
1.36 USD | 4.82 USD |
4. Is it cheaper to have water delivered?
A water delivery service is not cheaper than in-store 1-gallon water bottles.
In most common grocery stores you can find 1-Gallon spring water bottles in plastic for around 90 cents each.
Water delivered in 5-gallon plastic or glass bottles is 1.3 – 3x more expensive than 1-gallon water bottles at the grocery store.
5. How many 5-gallon water bottles do I need monthly?
According to the American Red Cross, a normally active person needs to drink at least 0.5 gallons (1.89 l) of water each day. [1]
“Health authorities commonly recommend eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals about 2 liters, or half a gallon. This is called the 8×8 rule and is very easy to remember.” [2]
In terms of how much water you should get delivered, this equals to 3x 5-gallon Water jugs per Person and Month.
In order to determine your family’s water needs, ask yourself the following 3 questions:
– Will I use the water for drinking only or also for cooking?
– Does my household drink other beverages than water?
– What size water bottles does my water delivery service deliver? 2.5; 3; or 5 gallons?
My Personal Experience
When we initially set up the water delivery for our home, I used various only calculating tools as well as the recommended delivery amounts given by the delivery services.
However, their calculations were way off.
We are a household of 2 adults, and we drink water, tea and coffee – all made with the glass bottled spring water we get delivered.
Additionally, we use the spring water for cooking, e.g. boiling rice, sauces, soups, etc.
Over the past months we had 13x 5-gallon glass bottles delivered on a 4-week delivery schedule.
And we use it all up. That is 3x the amount that most online calculators will give you.
The nice thing about water delivery is, that it’s flexible. Adjustments can be made on a monthly basis based on your family’s needs.
I recommend starting with 3x 5-gallon water bottles per person and month and making adjustments after your first month.