Here we look at what our options are.

‘Processed’ water is available in different grades depending on the end use. For instance, water to be used for sanitation does not need to be treated to the highest standards and would be regarded as Utility Water, whereas for everyday use, our water is normally softened and provides the best quality water for washing and bathing. This softened water is easier to heat and is therefore more eco-friendly and produces better results from our soaps and detergents.

Our fresh drinking water on the other hand must be of the highest quality and meet stringent regulations which protect us from bacteriological and chemical contaminants.

Nowadays, we no longer need to rely on the treatment of our community water supplies to offer the best quality water for our use. We can make it the best by installing our own filtration and purification systems cost-effectively and in our own homes. Because we can do this as we need it, our water can now be treated to the desired quality without fear of re-contamination.

Tap water – can we improve it?…

Recent research indicates that most of the water coming from US taps and wells is unsafe. Toxic contaminents, chloride, bacteria and chemicals including heavy metals often seep into our supplies exposing us to extremely serious conditions like cancers and damage to other major organs such as the liver. The unfortunate fact is that whatever the source, some contamination is bound to be present. Even our bottled water has been found to contain contaminents and can also contain high levels of chemicals leeched from the plastics used to manufacture the actual bottles. Some contaminants such as chlorine and fluoride have arguments for and against and you’ll have to make up your own minds on them. We cover both sides of the arguments within these pages.

The only real answer is a good quality filter or purification system installed in our own homes. One which monitors the quality of the water we drink and which removes harmful contaminants on the one hand, while retaining the beneficial minerals on the other.

Filtered Water – some of the options…

- Carbon water filters are quite cost effective and simple to install and account for probably 90% plus of all households who are using filters. The impurities in the water are absorbed by the carbon including some of the worst including Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Charcoal filters can remain active for some months with some utilising nano-silver particles as an effective antibacterial substance to promote further protection against some 650 known and harmful organisms in our water. Charcoal filters allow the beneficial minerals which are beneficial to our bodies to remain. These filter will obviously deteriorate over time and especially during periods of non-use and so it is essential to change them regularily following the manufacturer’s guidelines.

- Ceramic water filters have a very slow flow rate which can make them unpopular. These filters are similar to some carbon filters in that they are typically a cartridge system used on your counter top. Ceramic filters are made up of fossil material with some utilising nano-silver and they can filter out extremely small particles to the point where laboratories would rate the filtered water ‘bacteriologically sterile’.

- Distilled water is widely credited as the purest of all ‘filtered’ waters but that doesn’t mean it is the best for our bodies. Much research points to this type of water creating an imbalance in the body’s minerals which can be very dangerous, in the same way as with reverse osmosis systems.

- Reverse osmosis systems filter water through a very fine mesh or membrane to create drinkable water from contaminated or even salt seawater. This process again is very slow but it creates a very pure water without the healthy minerals needed for our bodies to flourish.

- UV radiation systems sterilize water by exposing it to UV light which in turn kills all living organisms. Regular testing is essential to ensure the correct operation of the filter system and the better systems normally incorporate a type of ‘timer’ so that new elements can be installed when needed.

- Atmospheric water generators produce water from air in a similar way to that of dehumidifiers which extract humidity from our air in the form of water. This is then filtered using a variety of filtration methods including UV light and reverse osmosis to produce drinkable water.

- Water ionizers can be attached to our domestic water systems to create filtered, alkaline water for drinking and acidic water for cleaning. Connected to your own tap, the ionizer dispenses water at the same rate of flow as you have grown to expect.

Bottled Water – is it better?

Billions of dollars are spent on water every year and yet research has shown that it may be no better or more healthy for us than ordinary tap water. The big brands which sell for a premium on our supermarket shelves have also been shown to be no better than the cheapest brands. The big corporate producers predict it to be a bigger revenue stream than their fizzy drinks.

What are the main types as identified in the FDA’s standards?…

- Spring water must come from underground sources which flow to the earth’s surface naturally. When bottled, it must also retain the same qualities, properties and composition as the water flowing naturally from the spring source.

- Purified water is either distilled or deionized water or water treated using a reverse osmosis system where the bacteria and and other contaminents have been removed.

- Mineral water can have no added minerals but must be 100% natural as with spring water. The levels of minerals and trace elements must be the same as when the water left the ground.

- Carbonated water contains carbon dioxide gas through a process of ‘carbonation’. This process can occur naturally as happens with Bulgarian Mihalkovo.

What is Spring Water?

Spring water is defined as water which naturally flows from an underground source to our planet’s surface, traveling through cracks and underground caves in the rock formation.

Artesian spring water wells are those where the water is forced to the surface because the sources are higher than the outlet or at least the groundwater which recharges the source is at a higher level and creates the pressure. Non-artesian spring are usually where water falls at a high level, soaks into the ground and then flows down through underground channels to emerge at a lower level as a stream. Hot springs are created where volcanic or other underground pressure is exerted on the water.

As the water travels through the underground rock formations, it picks up minerals in the form of dissolved mineral solids which can add to the flavor of the water and in some cases add bubbles or effervescence in the form of dissolved carbon dioxide to produce natural sparkling water.

Bottled spring water is often described as mineral water which can in a lot of cases be deceptive. Those springs that produce water which is high in dissolve minerals, ‘mineral springs’ are fine, but a good deal of springs known as ’soda springs’ actually contain dissolved sodium rather than minerals. Mineral springs are those where ‘resorts’ or ’spa towns’ have grown around the site, for example Bath in England, Saratoga Springs in New York and Fontaine de Vaucluse in France.

Is bottled Spring Water safe to drink?

A bottle of quality spring water containing various dissolved minerals can indeed be extremely safe and even healthy for our bodies. Drinking beverages rich in dissolved minerals can help our bodies maintain their natural balance. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has strict guidelines and regulations as to what constitutes ‘bottled spring water’ to safeguard the public. It is water which is naturally occurring and flows from its underground source to the surface where it is bottled. If it is collected by sinking boreholes or by the use of additional force then the composition of the water should be exactly the same as that which flows naturally.

There are countless brands of spring water available through retail outlets and even for delivery to home and office. It’s therfore difficult to recommend one over another as it will invariably come down to personal taste. Other considerations other than taste are the bottler/manufacturers reputation for eco-friendly processes and what effect the plastic they use for bottling has on the environment and our health. This sort of information is usually freely available and if not, we should ask ourselves why and perhaps look to a different beverage bottler.

What is Purified Water and is it good to drink?

There are many ways to purify water including reverse osmosis, filtration, UV and electrodialysis but the most common way is by distillation and deionizing the water. Whereas mineral content and impurities are regularly measured by parts per million in every day mineral water for instance, this purified water, formed by using the latest processing techniques is almost devoid of minerals and chemical impurities and it is not uncommon to measure them in parts per billion or trillion, the water is so pure. The ability to manufacture and filter this water in degrees of purity makes it ideal for use in laboratories, engineering and big industry. It is less known for it’s drinking quality.

Distilled water which is still our most common purified variety is produced by boiling the water to deionize it, until it is converted to steam at which point the impurities and minerals which are heavier, are left behind. The steam is then condensed back into water but in a much purer form. However, exposure to air can contaminate the water with bacteria, very quickly making it unsafe to drink. For some science labs where ultra pure water is required, a system of double-distillation is used.

A much cheaper option is deionizatation or demineralization water where the mineral ions are removed. The downside is that a great deal of the bacteria, viruses and other unwanted molecules are not removed significantly by these methods.

While purified waters are found mainly in science laboratories, vehicle lead-acid batteries also use it in the form of distilled and deionized water which is also recommended in the cooling systems of these vehicles, as the corrosive minerals normally associated with tap water are missing. Steam irons and other household appliance which rely on water work better with distilled or demineralized water as they are less likely to create scale. Humidifiers and aquariums are other users of purified water as are some car washes and window cleaners to stop mineral spotting on the cleaned surface.

This is all well and good but what about Purified Water to drink?

A bottle of purified water cannot be considered a healthy drink option because the minerals which our bodies rely upon have been removed. These minerals (present in ionized water) such as calcium, magnesium and fluoride contribute to our nutritious intake and create a deficiency when not present. Our bodies compensate relying on our mineral intake to create a natural balance. Too many minerals in our water and we run the risk of kidney stones, gall stones and even urinary stones.

Home purification devices are becoming more common place today in the form of distillers and reverse osmosis systems and continue to become a popular alternative to the more traditional filtration methods such as carbon water filters etc. Our municipal water contains many impurities and contaminants which the standard filters struggle with, unlike these purification methods which remove most during the process.

Although we can drink purified water, it is actively discouraged so that our bodies maintain a healthy balance. With a total lack of mineral ions in this water, unless we are absorbing the necessary minerals through our food, we are risk of a serious mineral deficiency and an additional source would be required.

It’s a fine line to tread, too many minerals and we risk illness, too few minerals and we risk the same. It’s always good to know what you’re drinking from the tap or in the bottled water you buy and what’s in it, in fact some would say it’s imperative. There are many test kits on the market and websites which will give you the composition of certain waters.

Does the process of distillation make this water unsuitable for us to drink?

By boiling water we create steam which when condensed, forms purified or distilled water where the contaminants and impurities are all but completely removed. Calcium, iron and other dissolved minerals and bacteria which are heavier than the water molecules are removed during the process which creates near pure H2O – molecules of hydrogen x 2 and oxygen x 1. This contaminant-free (deionized as opposed to ionized) water contains no dissolved impurities, gas or organic mineral or otherwise and should have a pH of 7. One down side of water produced by distillers is that it is devoid of taste and bland as all of the flavor giving minerals are absent. Still, this can obviously be altered by adding flavorings in the form of cordials or other fruit juices etc.

While distilled water is certainly safe for us to drink, it is more commonly used in science laboratories or in industry where the purest water is required for untainted results. Opinion is divided on whether it is healthier for us to drink distilled water or the more usual bottled mineral, spring or tap water. The main argument revolves around minerals. If water contains no minerals then the belief is that the water itself leaches these valuable elements and ions from our bodies. On the other hand the lack of minerals could be seen to flush excess impurities and minerals from our system.

Sodium fluoride is another major arguing point as distilled water is devoid of this element. Some believe that this can cause dental problems, others say that our bodies need no additional fluoride. The arguments rage.

If carbon dioxide is absorbed by distilled water when it is exposed to the atmosphere as some research suggests, then the water could invariably become more acidic with a lower pH level which in turn would be harmful and unhealthy for our bodies. What those who champion distilled water say is that we gain more minerals, nutrients and other valuable elements from our food, and therefore the effects of drinking a water without them should have no detrimental effect.

Just like spring, mineral and other purified waters, distilled water can normally be bought by the bottle at our local supermarkets and its consumption is quite widespread. Due to the purity of distilled water with a lack of contaminant elements and other chemical impurities, a lot of our major manufacturers use it as a base for their soft drinks and beverages.

Can we create our own Distilled Water?

Sure. The distiller equipment to produce distilled water is common and widely used by many households and is on the increase. Common water filtration products tend not to be able to filter anywhere near all of the thousands of chemicals, impurities and contaminants from our municipal water supply which is where distillation scores by eradicating the vast majority.

The process can also be used on sea and salt water in areas where there is insufficient fresh water to survive such as in arid coastal areas and on-board ships. Nuclear powered vessels also require huge amounts of coolant for their processes and distilling salt water is the ideal solution.

The process of producing distilled water can have prohibitive costs attached and another solution which is more cost effective may be reverse osmosis which we talk about elsewhere in the site.

So should we drink Distilled Water?

So long as we are sensible about it and do not forget about the value that mineral intake has on the health and well being of our bodies then yes, why not. Everything in moderation. Certain health needs will require an amount of distilled water as certain others will require an abundance of added minerals. Doctors and physicians are the best judge ultimately. It should not be forgotten that research has shown that by consuming mineral laden water, we are creating favorable cardiovascular effects which is obviously beneficial to our well-being.

Lots of people use distilled water as part of an internal cleansing, in just the same way that others abstain from drinking alcohol for a month or eating no carbohydrates etc etc.

Everything in moderation.

Claiming that its properties are derived from salicin, a mineral that was once the active ingredient of aspirin, the company will now have to await the investigation outcome from the Food Standards Agency.

For the full story…The Independent

Seawater contains large amounts of salts in the form of dissolved ions of sodium chloride. Roughly 3.5% of our ocean’s water is salt – a ratio which doesn’t sound a lot but, it can have devastating effects on our bodies.

This water cannot be classed as drinkable, even though small amounts will not cause major problems, but the body’s defense mechanisms quickly step in to remove the unwanted salinity. One glass of sea or saltwater and the kidneys will work overtime to clear the excess through excretion in our urine. Unfortunately, the kidneys work within fine tolerances and the amount of salt contained in ’saline’ water is outside of these limits. This means that the excess salt is absorbed by the blood and the kidneys can do little to control it. Eventually, the increase in added salt levels, if remaining unchecked or even increasing, will cause seizures and subsequent death!

Basically, our bodies would need to excrete more fluid than the seawater that we take in, to reverse the effects of the salt.

So, can we make saltwater drinkable?

Of course. Large ships that spend months at sea have the situation covered with distillation and reverse osmosis systems installed on-board. The same processes can be, and are used on land but rarely for drinking purposes as they take large amounts of energy to sustain and gallons of wasted water to achieve just one gallon of purified water. Most of the processed seawater is used in industry or for irrigation but there are some who have no choice but to harvest the water for drinking. Those that live by our oceans miles from anywhere and without fresh water supplies. Thankfully for the majority, we are only a faucet (tap) away from fresh, clean water.

Seawater is best kept for your aquarium!

Simply put, the Reverse Osmosis (RO) solution is an extremely successful way of demineralizing water by moving it through a fine ‘RO membrane’ under pressure, leaving the impurities and contaminants on one side and the ‘purified’ water on the other. The pressure exerted during the process depends upon the type of water being treated, be it fresh or salt water, the concentration of contaminants and impurities etc. In fact, the process originated in the conversion of salt water into fresh water but has many other uses in industry, medicine and around the house.

There are many filtration systems used across the globe to purify or improve our drinking water and the RO system is just one.

RO systems typically comprise a number of important steps to ensure success. The water to be treated first needs to be filtered to clean it of larger particles such as rust from pipes and calcium. It can then be filtered again through active carbon to reduce the level of smaller particles such as chemicals or chlorine. This can be important depending on where the RO unit is operating as some of these chemicals can over time ruin the RO membranes. The water is then passed through the RO membrane with the option of then additional carbon filters and even UV light to make sure that all chemicals and microbes are removed. This invariably depends on the end use of the water, how pure the requirement and what the final chemistry of the water needs to be. The RO filters used are typically able to remove contaminant particles that are larger than 0.1nm in size and these filter fall into the finest filtration category of ‘Hyper-filtration’.

In countries where there is a poor or polluted water supply or where people are living out in the middle of nowhere, portable reverse osmosis systems can be used. Water from rivers, lakes and even the sea (desalination) can be treated using these units.

The US military use a reverse osmosis system extensively during training exercises and on the battlefield. Their ROWPUs or ‘reverse osmosis water purification units’, can produce huge amounts of purified water for the troops and a single unit can in fact provide enough for up to 6,000 men and women.

The Ro systems are extensively used worldwide in a diverse number of situations, from purifying rainwater for crop irrigation and industrial use where water shortages are common to purifying water used in power stations where purity is essential and in medicine where similar systems are used in the treatment of patients with kidney problems who need deionized water for dialysis machines. Our food and dairy industries also use huge amounts of purified water treated by reverse osmosis systems in the production of fruit juice, whey powders, milk concentrates and other heat sensitive products. RO is a more cost effective way of purifying water to be used in food production, rather than processes involving heat treatment. Even the wine growers of France who have historically frowned upon the use of RO water are utilizing the systems.

The disadvantages of RO in a household environment are in the main that the process is very wasteful, when the systems just cannot generate enough pressure and as a result, they are only about 10% efficient as opposed to industrial grade systems which approach 50% efficiency. Apart from this the demineralization process leaves the water too acidic which in turn can leach essential minerals from our bodies when we drink it, creating problems for bone,s organs and teeth. It is therefore essential for our health that some form of mineral intake is used to supplement purified water generated by RO systems.

Mineral water, as the name suggests is any water which contains dissolved minerals, either naturally occurring at source or added during the processing stage of production. This includes sparkling, carbonated or effervescent water which again occurs naturally as well as being processed.

Historically, mineral waters were considered a therapeutic ‘cure’ which you could not only drink but bathe in to receive the health benefits. The historic City of Bath in England is a prime example and other towns harboring spas, baths and wells, have basically built themselves around these natural mineral water sources. Pilgrimages to these spas were commonplace.

Nowadays our mineral water tends to be bottled at source and shipped around the world, which is far more convenient than traveling to the source – many of which are now not open to the public but have been turned into big bottling businesses. The number of commercially available brands of mineral water total some 3,000 products across the globe and so there is no real shortage of choice.

The amount of dissolved minerals contained within the water determines whether it is classified as hard or soft. The more minerals, the harder the water. The United States ‘Food & Drug Administration’ (FDA) defines mineral water as having over 250 parts per million of dissolved solids and having to be naturally sourced from bore holes, springs or other underground sources. Mineral water as far as the US FDA are concerned can not be processed to add more minerals although this is not stipulated elsewhere in the world where processed waters are also considered or classified as mineral water.

So, where a great deal of our water today is processed to remove dissolved solids such as minerals, chemicals, gas and other ‘impurities’, often our natural mineral water tends to be bottled at source, retaining all of it’s mineral content which the majority see as being beneficial to our health and well-being. Magnesium and calcium are the most common naturally occurring minerals with various others including iron, potassium and fluoride to name but a few. The tap (faucet) water in some cities and countries for example Zurich in Switzerland also contains large amounts of dissolved minerals and can also be classified as mineral water.

Although our municipal systems have mandatory checks and tests in place to ensure that water safety regulations are adhered to for our safety, there are no such questions asked or testing procedures carried out for spring and mineral waters. We have to place our faith in the bottlers and producers. However, it is generally accepted that the dissolved minerals in this water do not harm us but do actually contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Other chemicals and bacteria present are hopefully treated during the bottling process before we consume the water!

It is also generally accepted that drinking water high in minerals is the best way for us to achieve the correct mineral levels within our bodies so that the mineral content of our bodies isn’t leached away, leaving our cells deficient, which in turn can quickly lead to illness.

Tap water also contains minerals and a simple answer would be to install a carbon filter system or similar, which can ensure that you have mineral water on tap, but with other contaminents and impurities removed. This is quite obviously a much more cost effective solution to buying bottled mineral water from the supermarkets.

Tap or faucet water, depending on which continent you reside, has been commonplace since the middle of the 20th century but was in fact available during the latter part of the 19th. Although a huge infrastructure is required to process and distribute our water under pressure, it’s cost is insignificant in relation to the cost of bottled water – depending on brand etc, up to 1,000 times the cost of processing and distributing the same amount of our tap / faucet water.

Our tap water brings us many health benefits, not least of all the fact that it is processed to remove any dangerous contaminants. Our water is governed by strict legislation across the globe and while it can contain various chemicals, again depending upon your location, these are used to improve and preserve the water until we drink it. Fluoride is added in many areas and the jury’s out on that one regarding pros and cons. Many other naturally occurring minerals such as calcium carbonate can be present and metal ions like magnesium and iron which are all relatively harmless. Test kits are available for those who are unsure or worried about the state of their supply.

Groundwater is affected by local conditions and these ultimately shape the water you drink. Occasionally there may be a disasterous chemical spill which will alter our local water and in these cases, although thankfully few, we are advised to drink bottled alternatives until it is safe to do otherwise.

So what is Potable Water? Water which is fit for our consumption is classed as Potable Water, whether it is natural such as spring water or processed. It’s all drinking water.

Our tap water is delivered to us through a huge network of plumbing and pipes. The composition of these pipes has changed drastically over the years to a point today where the vast majority of pipes have seen replacement with copper or brass. Plastic has seen an increase in popularity quite recently but it cannot keep our water as clean. Copper is bacteriostatic which means that it is capable of inhibiting the growth and reproduction of bacteria – plastics are not and can indeed harbor bacteria. The one drawback of copper was that the solder used to connect the copper pipe, was composed of lead and tin in equal amounts. Even though the water flowing through our pipes usually coats the interior with mineral deposits, effectively sealing of the lead, United States regulations and those across much of the globe now stipulate the use of virtually lead free solder to prevent lead leaching into our drinking water. Copper pipes can also corrode and pit with cold water.

And now we come to our favorite all time question – is our tap water supply better quality than bottled water? It depends on where you are in the world and where your tap water originates from, what sort of pipes it flows through and whether you have any third party filtration system or purifier in place. It also depends on what brand of bottled water you are comparing it to. There is no hard and fast rule and what one person says the next will disagree with. If you want to try and improve it, install a filter system.

The thing to remember is that most water in the civilized world, be it from taps, faucets, bottles or even your refrigerator, is regulated and falls within the recommended guidelines set for chemical, contaminant, mineral and impurity levels. Our view is that if we can make improvements by using filters or other sensible routes, then why not. What is clear is that our water doesn’t necessarily need to be pure to benefit our health.

Hard water, whilst not a health risk can create a large number of problems for us because the inherent large numbers of dissolved minerals which make the water ‘hard’ in the first place build up in our pipes, taps and appliances. The high mineral content in hard water also stops our soaps and detergents doing their job. The main two components of hard water are calcium carbonate and magnesium. The higher the content of these two minerals, the ‘harder’ the chemistry of the water.

The harder the water, the more prominent the problems associated with it. Even after washing, our clothes, skin and hair can feel and look lifeless and rough. Our dishes, especially if you use a dishwasher, can be covered in hard to clean off stain spots or cloudy film on glasses. Our hot water systems are more at risk as the heat will intensify the situation. Pipes and appliances blocked with scale causing ineffective flow or complete failure are commonplace. If left untreated, the cost from an increase in charges from our energy suppliers can be as much as 25% – more overall if our systems fail and we have to renew appliances, pipework and even boilers.

So are there any benefits of Hard Water?

Sure. We all need calcium and magnesium in our diets and hard water can provide part of that, especially in areas where the mineral content is extremely high. If we could remove some of the minerals and change the properties of the calcium ions to stop the formation of limescale, this hard water would actually be pretty good for us and our appliances etc.

Is there anything we can do to lessen the effects of Hard Water?

We don’t have to do much to lessen the effects of hard water…

- There are detergents specially formulated to work with hard water, washing powders and other soap products that are specially formulated to deal with different degrees of hardness.

- Reducing the temperature of our boilers to around 50 degrees will ensure that deposits are reduced but also give us plenty of hot water for showers and baths.

- Most dishwashers today have the facility to include rinse aids which will help combat the effects

- Using one of many water conditioners, water softeners or even electromagnetic systems attached to your pipes can help further.

How do you know how hard your water is? Ask your supplier. Municipal water suppliers will have this information for you. If your water is from a private supply then there are numerous testing kits on the market to do self testing.

There are a variety of ways to treat hard water including carbon filters, softeners, reverse osmosis and electromagnetic conditioners. Some work better than others and obviously cost will also be a major issue. Unfortunately a good deal of sodium is added during the ’softening’ process which is not great for our health and so filters and the electromagnetic conditioners are considered the best answer as reverse osmosis is quite an expensive option.