The Super Bowl is quickly approaching and people are excited for many different reasons. Sports fans are hyped to cheer on their team, entertainment fans are looking forward to the funny new commercials and foodies are dreaming of the endless supply of chicken wings and bean dip. For Pepsi, however, the excitement comes from the debut of their new brand, Lifewtr.

Despite the incorrect spelling of the word water, Lifewtr is exactly that: bottled water. This new brand is far different from the sugary drinks usually produced by the soda company. It is simply purified water that is pH balanced and infused with electrolytes, packaged in a plastic bottle decorated with artsy designs.

This makes their new brand “premium water,” and it will be “premiumly priced,” according to Pepsi. Basically, it is just going to be more expensive than your average bottled water.

PepsiCo is so invested in Lifewtr that it will be their only brand to get screen time during the Super Bowl commercials. This is far different from Pepsi’s usual advertising approach. Last year, three of their brands, including Mountain Dew and their namesake soda, received Super Bowl commercial spots. The commercial will feature music from well known Contemporary R&B and Pop singer, John Legend.

According to data collected by Beverage Digest, bottled water sales more than doubled between 2004 and 2005, while soda sales are steadily declining. This shift towards healthier beverages has spurred many major soda brands to jump into the bottled water and health beverage game. Lifewtr was designed to directly compete with Coca-Cola Co’s successful “premium” water brand, Smartwater.

“I think we are seeing a secular and irreversible trend toward healthier beverages,” said President of PepsiCo’s Global Beverage Group, Brad Jakeman.

This trend is wonderful for human health, and is most likely due to education on the harmful effects of drinking soda. Today, it is common knowledge that soda is bad for you. Many people know that the extremely high sugar content found in soda can lead to heart disease, type two diabetes, colon problems and much more.

According to the American Heart Association, men should consume no more than nine teaspoons of sugar a day, while women should consume no more than six. One can of soda contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar. Now that water has become trendy, millions of Americans will be steered away from consuming a dangerous excess sugar.

Lifewtr will no doubt mirror the success of other “premium” water brands such as Smartwater, Voss, and Blk. Its on-trend minimalist packaging ensures its spot at the top.

While it is good that more people are turning to water rather than sugar-filled beverages, I am confused by the hype surrounding premium water.

It would be much better for the environment and our wallets if people filled up reusable water bottles instead. By buying a Brita filter at H.E.B. for around $20, you can have your own “premium” water at home, and save both an enormous amount of harmful plastic from entering the environment and a sizeable amount of money from leaving your bank account.