In the United States, both tap and bottled water are safe to drink; however, tapping water from the faucet is less expensive and less harmful to the environment.
Every day, you drink lots of water through food drinks like tea or coffee and pure water. Therefore, it’s normal to be interested in the safety and quality of the water you drink.
Every drinking water source throughout the U.S. is tightly regulated. In the majority of cases, it’s safe. However, some other water sources might be unsafe to drink.
This article reviews the various kinds of drinking water available, aspects to take into consideration in regard to water safety and quality, as well as the most appropriate types of water to drink.
Drinking water types
Here are a few of the most commonly used kinds of drinking water. ( 1Trusted Source):
- Tap. This is the water that comes from your taps in your home. It can be sourced from a municipal water source or private well.
- Mineral. Mineral water is derived directly from the ground. It naturally contains at minimum 250 parts per million of minerals derived from dissolving solids.
- Spring. Spring water is an underground water source that flows naturally up to the surface, similar to springs. It has to be stored from the point of origin.
- Distilled. Distilled water has been stripped of its minerals. This happens via the process of distillation, whereby the water is evaporated and then condensed to liquid form.
- Purified water. Water that is purified is processed by reverse osmosis (RO), absolute one-micron filtering, ozonation, or distillation.
The majority of tap water is purified through methods like reverse osmosis or distillation. However, some bottled water could be tap water. Simply because water is packaged does not mean that it’s spring or mineral water. ( 1Trusted Source).
In certain countries, such as Australia, rural areas could depend on rainwater as their primary source of water. If the water is regularly tested to ensure its safety, it is safe to drink and consume.
Are certain kinds of water more healthy than others?
The majority of water used throughout the United States is safe.
Standards for drinking water are rigorously controlled through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and bottled water is also regulated through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ( 2Trusted Source).
Although there might be minor variations in the flavor or mineral contents of various kinds of water, for the greater part, they’re both healthy.
Downsides of certain kinds of water
There are disadvantages to certain kinds of water.
Every water source, no matter whether it’s in a bottle or comes from the tap, has a chance of contamination from the point of reference. The contaminants could be benign or could be harmful pathogens such as E. coli, which can lead to severe stomach-related illness (3Trusted Source).
If your tap water is from a municipal source, It’s probably checked regularly to determine any pathogens. If, however, your tap water is from a private well, you might need to contract an agency that regularly conducts an annual quality test ( 3Trusted Source).
Water bottles that contain contaminants are subject to recalls by the FDA.
A disadvantage of relating to drinking bottled water is the production of huge amounts of single-use waste plastic. It’s usually unnecessary when you have access to clean tap water.
In addition, bottled water is typically priced at an expense higher than tap water.
If you reside in an area with safe drinking water, choosing to drink it instead of bottled drinking water could lower your costs and the amount of plastic waste you create.
SUMMARY
There are a variety of types of drinking water that are available, but all are generally healthy. All drinking water is at risk of chance of being contaminated. Bottled water can result in single-use plastic waste that can cost more.
Does pH matter?
It is The pH corresponds to the alkalinity or acidity of the liquid. If the pH is 7, it’s regarded as neutral. A lower pH is more acidic, while a higher pH is more alkaline.
The majority of drinking water has a neutral pH range of 6.5 or 7.5. Certain types of drinking water tend to be acidic, for example, distillation water. Other types are more alkaline, like commercially available alkaline waters (4Trusted Source).
However, the pH of water does not have a significant impact in terms of your well-being.
Drinking water, no matter the pH, won’t alter your blood pH unless you consume large amounts that are nearly impossible to drink ( 5Trusted Source).
Furthermore, in these amounts, water of any kind could be risky as it can dilute salts in the blood and trigger the condition known as hyponatremia ( 5Trusted Source).
There’s been no recent evidence on humans to suggest alkaline waters provide any health benefits of any significance ( 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).
In some cases, an unusually low or high pH may indicate the presence of contaminants in the city water system.
If this is to impact your tap water, the water provider should inform you immediately. After that, further testing would occur, and you’ll be informed of their findings if they suggest that there is a contamination and the best way to proceed.
SUMMARY
The majority of water has a pH range of 6.5 or 7.5. Distilled water tends to be more acidic, and alkaline water products are more alkaline. Drinking water won’t alter the pH of your blood, and there is no evidence to suggest that alkaline water is beneficial to your health.
Does mineral content matter?
Minerals are found in water naturally.
Particularly, it is rich in magnesium and calcium and a small amount of other minerals.
In general, the amount of minerals present in water doesn’t impact the quality of the water or the amount of any mineral to increase the amount you consume dramatically.
The water that is rich in minerals is known as hard water. It could result in stains or deposits to build up in sinks or toilets. They may also look slightly discolored.
A high concentration of certain minerals could cause water to turn brown or emit a distinctive smell. For example, sulfur, while safe to drink in low amounts, could cause your water to smell a little like the smell of rotten eggs ( 7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9).
Many water companies employ softening agents in order to eliminate minerals, making the water less difficult or “soft.” This process could raise the level of phosphorus found in the water; however, be sure that it is secure and will not impact the quality of the water ( 8Trusted Source).
To clarify, water advertised to be mineral water does not have the added minerals. Instead, it’s an underground source containing minerals naturally occurring.