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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Want to read more on the problems and solutions…Water Treatment Information