Londonderry Lithia facts for kids
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Source | Londonderry Lithia spring |
| Type | still/sparkling |
| pH | unknown |
| TDS | unknown |
| All concentrations in milligrams per liter (mg/L); pH without units | |
Londonderry Lithia was a popular brand of bottled water. It was sold in the northeastern United States during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The special water came from a natural spring in Londonderry, New Hampshire. The company that made it, the Londonderry Lithia Spring Water Company, had its main office in Nashua, New Hampshire.
Many people believed this water had health benefits. It was often used as a regular drink at meals. Some also thought it could help with certain health issues.
One famous way the company promoted its water was through a brave adventurer. In 1895, the first woman to bicycle around the world, Annie Kopchovsky, changed her name to Annie Londonderry. She carried a sign for the company during her amazing journey. This helped make the water very well-known!
What Was Inside the Water?
The Londonderry Lithia company claimed their water was very special. They said it contained a mineral called lithium bicarbonate. They even had a professor, H. Halvorson, who supposedly tested it. He reported that the water had a good amount of lithium.
However, things changed when the government started checking products more closely. There were new rules to make sure companies sold honest and safe items. A government scientist tested the Londonderry Lithia water. This test showed that the water had almost no lithium at all. It had much, much less than the company claimed.
The scientist also found that other things had been added to some bottles. These included common salt (sodium chloride) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Because of these findings, the government took action. They stopped the company from selling the water. By 1920, the Londonderry Lithia company had stopped making its bottled water for good.
