The QPR Engine
Quality. Purity. Resonance. A three-pillar scoring framework built entirely on open-source data, designed to reveal what branding conceals and delineate meaningful differences between waters.
How Scoring Works
Unlike competitors that bunch scores between 70-95 (making differentiation impossible), the QPR engine uses a full 0-100 range with equal weighting across three pillars. A $2 purified water and a $15 imported spring water are measured by the same uncompromising standard.
Example: Mountain Valley Spring
Quality 97 + Purity 93 + Resonance 91 = Overall 94
Value Ratio: 11.1 QPR per dollar
Composite Formula
QPR = (Quality × 0.333) + (Purity × 0.333) + (Resonance × 0.333)
Value Ratio = QPR Score ÷ Price Per Gallon
The Three Pillars
Quality
Weight: 33.3% of total score
Measures the inherent life-giving properties of the water — where it comes from and what it carries.
Source Integrity
25%Protected aquifer vs. municipal tap. Geological age. Contamination risk of source area.
Mineral Profile
25%Beneficial mineral content (Ca, Mg, K, Si). Natural vs. added minerals. Bioavailability.
pH Balance
25%Natural pH level. Stability over time. Alkalinity claims vs. reality.
Taste Profile
25%Sensory quality. Absence of chemical taste. Mouthfeel and minerality.
Purity
Weight: 33.3% of total score
Measures what should NOT be in your water — the contaminants, forever chemicals, and invisible threats.
PFAS Levels
25%Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Scored against both EPA limits (4 ppt) and stricter EWG guidelines (1 ppt).
Microplastics
25%Particle count per liter. Heavily penalizes PET plastic packaging. Glass and home filtration score highest.
Heavy Metals
25%Lead, arsenic, chromium-6, mercury. Scored against EWG health guidelines, not just EPA legal limits.
Other Contaminants
25%Disinfection byproducts (THMs, HAAs), pesticides (atrazine), radioactive elements (radium).
Resonance
Weight: 33.3% of total score
Measures alignment with a sustainable, ethical, and transparent world — the water's impact beyond your body.
Environmental Impact
25%Carbon footprint of production and transport. Water source sustainability. Ecosystem impact.
Ethical Sourcing
25%Community impact at source. Labor practices. Indigenous rights. Water rights conflicts.
Packaging Sustainability
25%Glass > aluminum > carton > BPA-free plastic > PET. Recyclability and actual recycling rates.
Corporate Transparency
25%Publicly available test results. Third-party verification. Responsiveness to inquiries. B Corp status.
Grading Scale
| Grade | Score Range | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 95-100 | Exceptional — among the finest waters available |
| A | 88-94 | Excellent — high quality across all dimensions |
| B+ | 80-87 | Very Good — strong with minor areas for improvement |
| B | 72-79 | Good — solid choice with some trade-offs |
| C+ | 64-71 | Acceptable — notable concerns in one or more pillars |
| C | 55-63 | Below Average — significant issues identified |
| D | 40-54 | Poor — serious concerns across multiple dimensions |
| F | 0-39 | Failing — not recommended for regular consumption |
Open Data Sources
Every score in Aqueous is derived from publicly available, open-source databases. No proprietary data is used. No paywalls. No hidden methodologies. Full transparency.
EPA SDWIS
Safe Drinking Water Information System — federal database of all public water system violations and monitoring data.
EWG Tap Water Database
Environmental Working Group's database with health-based guidelines stricter than EPA legal limits.
USGS Water Data APIs
Real-time and historical water quality monitoring data from thousands of stations nationwide.
Water Quality Portal
Joint EPA/USGS/USDA portal aggregating water quality data from 400+ organizations.
FDA Bottled Water Reports
Federal standards and inspection reports for bottled water products.
Consumer Confidence Reports
Annual water quality reports that every public water system must publish.