Martin Riese: Why Your “Healthy” Water Might Be Lying to You

About this episode

Bunnie Xo and Martin Riese discuss the myths and science behind water quality and the bottled water industry.

Throwback Thursday (Originally aired: 8/18/25) Bunnie Xo sits down with Martin Riese, America’s first certified water sommelier, to unpack the myths, science, and politics behind what we drink. Bunnie shares her own viral “water debacle” and what she learned from testing different sources, while Martin breaks down the subtleties of water taste profiles, the role of TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), and the environmental toll of bottled water. Together, they clear the air on false claims about Mountain Valley’s arsenic levels and stress the need for transparency and fact-checking in the industry. Martin also calls out the dangers of multi-level marketing schemes, debunks the rumor that sparkling water causes cancer, and highlights how basic chemistry and proper filtration can make all the difference. He taste-tests Saratoga, Mountain Valley, and even a rare 2,000-year-old Australian water with 1,300 TDS, while critiquing Perrier’s lack of transparency. Along the way, he explains why RO systems and shower filters are worth the investment, and why America needs to improve its water infrastructure instead of relying solely on bottled brands. The conversation wraps with Martin previewing…

People in this episode

Host: Bunnie Xo

Guest: Martin Riese

Topics covered

• water quality
• water sommelier
• bottled water
• water infrastructure
• TDS
• water education

Keywords

• water sommelier
• TDS
• bottled water
• water infrastructure
• water education
• sparkling water
• water taste profiles

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mountain Valley, Perrier, Sourced

More episodes of Dumb Blonde

• Ask, Tell, Confess: WTF?! Some Things Should Stay Secrets · June 12, 2026 · 39 min
• Hollywood Undead: The Masks Came Off · June 11, 2026 · 1h 6m
• Wiz Khalifa Had This to Say About Amber Rose · June 8, 2026 · 1h 2m
• Ask, Tell, Confess: We Are Going Whitewater Rafting WTF?! · June 5, 2026 · 30 min
• KT Smith: Breakups & Blessings · June 4, 2026 · 1h 45m
• Koe Wetzel: The Glow Up Nobody Saw Coming · June 1, 2026 · 50 min