The human body is comprised of around 60% water, and we need to drink around 3.7L of water per day to stay healthy. But, the health and cleanliness of the water we choose to drink is also an important factor for optimal health gains. In this article, we will take a closer look at the healthiest drinking water choices.

6 Drinking Water Choices Explored

Let’s take a look at six popular drinking water choices:

1.   City Tap Water

This is city treated water that we get in our taps at home if we are connected to the water delivery network. The water is mechanically filtered and disinfected to a basic standard with chlorine or chloramine (chlorine mixed with ammonia).

2.   Private Tap Water

Private well owners are responsible for the safety and cleanliness of their own drinking water. So, the health and quality of private water will vary a great deal depending on local conditions, the filtration methods used, and other factors.

3.   Bottled Mineral Water

This is water bottled from an underground aquifer that tends to contain around 250 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved mineral solids. Mineral water is highly prized for its health benefits, but many brands supply water that isn’t much better than standard city tap water.

4.   Bottled Spring Water

Similar to bottled mineral water, but in this case, the water has risen to the surface where it’s harvested.

5.   Distilled Water

This water is sourced from steam that has been evaporated during a boiling process and then collected as it condenses back into a liquid. Because the water is sourced from steam, it is extremely clean, but this process is energy intensive, and it can take a long time.

6.   Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water

RO filtration places the water under pressure and forces it through a semi-permeable filter membrane leaving the contaminants behind. This is a purely mechanical filtration process, no chemicals are added, and the water is exceptionally clean.

Which is Best?

RO water is virtually pure; contaminants down to 0.0001 microns in size cannot pass through the membrane filter. Both pre and post-filters are in place to protect the membrane filter and improve the aesthetic characteristics. RO filtration can remove a wide variety of pollutants, including E. coli, viruses, bacteria, salmonella, giardia, cryptosporidium, hepatitis A, rotavirus, chemical contaminants, chloride, copper, chromium, lead, and many more.

The best drinking water is RO filtered water because it’s easy to use, there are no bottles to store, and no chemicals are added to the drinking water. The RO filtration system can be a whole-house or point of use (POU) system with a single faucet at the kitchen sink. So, this is a system that can be used by people on any budget, and it’s cheaper to run than buying bottles of spring or mineral water. This process does take time, but the filtered water is stored in a tank for access when you need it.

If you want to install a RO filtration system in your home, contact your local water treatment specialist today.

By EcoWater Systems.
EcoWater Systems of Nebraska is the largest water treatment company in the state and is a member of Water Quality Association.