etymology - "Freshwater" as opposed to salty water


I'm curious to find out why we talk of freshwater (or fresh water) when we refer to water with a very limited amount of salt dissolved in it.


Looking at various sources, both online and in books, I have learnt that the term sweetwater may also be used.


Do you know the origin of the expression and is sweetwater a valid alternative?



Answer



The NOAD identifies the etymology of fresh:



ORIGIN Old English fersc [not salt, fit for drinking,] superseded in Middle English by forms from Old French freis, fresche; both ultimately of Germanic origin and related to Dutch vers and German frisch.




Sweetwater, I would assume, is at this point (don't know about originally; cf. @BarrieEngland's answer) the antonym of saltwater, and therefore synonymous with freshwater.


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