Spring water is one of the few beverages that arrives perfect. The mineral profile is what the aquifer made. The temperature is what refrigerated transport kept. The clarity is what the spring sent up. There's nothing to add to make it better, and most of the time nothing should be added.

But when you're hosting — a dinner, a brunch, a backyard gathering — the water on the table can be more than just water. A few simple enhancements turn the dispenser into a beverage service that holds its own next to whatever else you're serving. The key word is enhancements, not replacements. Spring water stays the foundation; the additions are garnish.

The enhancements above all assume the right glassware. Plastic cups undercut everything — the water tastes worse, the citrus looks sad, the herbs wilt visibly. Real glass, in the right shape, transforms the same water with the same enhancement into something that feels considered.

For dinner: stemmed wine glasses for still water and infused waters. The shape holds aromatics near the nose, and the visual is right for the table setting. For larger gatherings: rocks glasses for infused waters and citrus waters, Collins glasses for cucumber-mint and iced teas. For outdoor service: sturdy pint glasses or mason jars with handles.

Ice is the unsung ingredient. Use clear ice if you can manage it (freeze water in a cooler with a small hole for an upside-down mold). Large cubes melt slower than small ones, so a single large cube in a rocks glass keeps the water cold without diluting it before the guest finishes. Pre-chill all glassware in the freezer for 20 minutes before service — cold glass keeps the water colder longer.

Day before: cold-brew 3 herbal teas (chamomile-mint, hibiscus-rose, lemongrass-ginger) in 1-liter glass bottles. Slice 3 lemons, 3 limes, 2 oranges, 1 grapefruit. Store in airtight containers in the fridge.

Morning of: thinly slice 2 cucumbers, store between damp paper towels in the fridge. Pre-mix 2 liters of electrolyte water (one LMNT packet per 32 oz). Make simple syrup if you'll be muddling mint or basil — equal parts sugar and water, dissolved, cooled.

One hour before: fill the 2.5 gallon glass dispenser with cold spring water. Set out the 4 pitchers — one plain spring water, one citrus (lemon-lime-orange), one cucumber-mint, one strawberry-basil. Set out the 3 tea bottles. Set out the electrolyte bottles in a small cooler with ice.

Glassware: 12 stemmed wine glasses, 12 rocks glasses, 12 Collins glasses. Pre-chilled. Ice: 3 trays of clear ice cubes, plus a small cooler of regular ice for refills.

This is more setup than 'open a bottle of wine and put it on the table,' but it's also less than most cocktail services. The difference is that the water service runs itself once it's set — guests serve themselves, refills are obvious, and nobody has to bartend.