Capping a decades-long streak of vigorous growth, bottled water achieved a major milestone in 2016, when it surpassed carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) to become the largest beverage category by volume in the United States, according to New York-based Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC). Total bottled water volume grew from 11.8 billion gallons in 2015 to 12.8 billion gallons in 2016, an increase of nearly 9 percent, which marked the third year of accelerated growth, the market research firm says. 

Americans' consumption of water has increased by more than 68 million 8-ounce servings in less than a year, according to research conducted by the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), Harleysville, Pa.

For decades, consumers have strived to live by the unofficial rule of drinking eight glasses of water a day. Although this mantra is well-known throughout the United States, many consumers don’t drink as much water as they should. However, that has begun to change in recent months.