Bottled spring water and purified water are both good, healthy choices for drinking enough water. Both are great for staying hydrated this summer. Whether spring water is better than purified water is just a matter of preference and taste.
Both spring water and purified water have to meet safety standards set by the FDA and EPA, making them safe for consumption. The kind of water you pick depends primarily on your choices and what’s accessible to you. In a lot of cases, people select the sort of water that tastes best to them, which can be largely subjective. The most important idea is you ought to pick the water you’re most likely to drink so you’re more likely to stay hydrated. Both spring water and purified water have safety requirements and are safe for humans to drink. Choose the type that best matches your preferences so it’s easier for you to drink a lot of water.
What is Spring Water?
Spring water is a popular choice of bottled water. What is spring water? It comes from groundwater, which is water that exists underground in an aquifer that sits at or below the earth’s natural water table.
As water normally moves to the ground’s surface, it collects at the opening of a spring. It can also be gathered directly from underground through a borehole. This water is typically considered naturally purified, as it has passed through all-natural filters like limestone, sandstone and clay.
When collected, the water is tested and examined to guarantee it satisfies rigorous safety standards established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Finally, it’s bottled and winds up in stores.
What is Purified Water?
Purified water is water sent through a filtration system or processed to remove contaminants or particulates. Purified water may have had viruses, bacteria, chemicals, metals and minerals removed. In most industrialized nations, including the U.S., tap water is purified to guarantee it’s safe for consumption. There are many different treatment processes. The basic steps for purifying water are:
- Coagulation and Flocculation
The first step of the purification process is adding positively charged chemicals to the water. This counteracts negatively charged chemicals like dust and pollutants. It creates bigger particles called floc.
- Sedimentation
Due to the larger weight of floc, it goes to the bottom of the water. This leaves clear water above it.
- Filtration
The clear water is filtered through multiple filters of different dimensions and compositions, such as charcoal, sand and crushed rock. This removes germs, dirt, dust, chemical pollutants and other unwanted particles.
- Disinfection
The last step is adding a chemical anti-bacterial like chlorine or chloramine to kill microorganisms or infections. The amount of chlorine permitted is regulated to ensure it’s safe for human intake.
Other purification techniques are used for bottled water, or for at-home purification. These methods are becoming more cost-effective and popular.
- Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis generally means a method of sending water through membrane layers to eliminate minerals.
- Distillation
Distilling is heating water until it becomes vapor. Then, it’s easy to remove particulates and contaminants, and the vapor is recondensed into distilled liquid water.
- Deionization
This is a procedure that eliminates all minerals in water using ion exchange. It replaces liquified minerals with hydrogen and hydroxide particles.
- Ozone
Ozonation is putting ozone into water which disinfects it. Most companies that bottle water use ozone gas as a disinfectant instead of chlorine due to its better taste and smell.
- 1-micron Filtration
This method utilizes extremely small filters – smaller than one micron, or 0.00004 inches.
If companies comply with the required FDA and EPA safety standards, the water can be labeled as “purified.” Home filters are great for purifying tap water on a small or individual level. Filtration pitchers use carbon ion exchange to remove contaminants such as lead, chlorine and mercury.
Ways to Drink More Water
Choosing more of any kind of clean, healthy water is smart. How much water you should drink on an average day depends on activity level, weather, age, overall health and more factors. Overall, drinking more water, and more water compared to a lot of other beverage choices, is always good. Follow these simple suggestions and ideas.
- Drink water when you feel thirsty.
- Drink enough to have clear or pale-yellow urine.
- Increase your water consumption to compensate for water loss, for example after sweating during exercise or in the heat.
If you’re attempting to drink more water, here are some ideas.
- Keep a reusable bottle with you.
- Try to sip water every 15-30 minutes.
- Add fruit, natural herbs, or vegetables – such as lemon, cucumber or mint – to give water a taste you like.
- Keep reminders on your phone.
- Replace sweet, sugary beverages like soda and energy drinks with water.
- If the taste or smell of tap water is an issue to you, buy an at-home water filter.
The bottom line
Water is important to life, so drinking enough of it has many advantages. To stay healthy and hydrated, make water the drink you pick most often during the day.
In many developed countries, we’re fortunate to have a huge range of ways and products when it comes to clean water. Spring water and purified water are good, healthy choices.
Spring water is naturally filtered underground. It’s gathered from springs or boreholes. On the other hand, purified water is any water that has been thought a regulated filtration and purification process to get rid of impurities and contaminants.
The kind you choose largely depends on your individual choices and what you like. Both are safe options that meet stringent safety criteria. At the end of the day, select the kind of water you’re more likely to consume more of.
South End Water Filtration specializes in HALO Water Filter products including the HALO H2 Zero Whole Home Water Filter. HALO systems solve hard water problems, give your family clear, great-tasting water and are totally maintenance free. We’re just a click away to help and answer any questions. South End Plumbing and South End Water Filtration will give you a free estimate. Call us at 704-486-1988 or contact us online to schedule a visit.