Tap Water Vs Distilled Water
Drinking water is essential to the human body. But what type of water are you drinking? Is it tap water or distilled water? In this article, we are going to discuss tap water vs distilled water, so you can know how they differ from each other.
Tap water and distilled water are different in many ways. Tap water is untreated water coming from your faucet while distilled water has been treated and processed to become purified water. Tap water may contain minerals but distilled water does not. Also, distilled water is much safer to drink than tap water.
What is Tap Water And Where Does It Come From?
Tap water is a type of drinking water coming from a faucet. Your municipal water district usually supplies it. Tap water may come from different sources like deep wells, rivers, lakes, water reservoirs, or water dams. It undergoes a simple process like sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection before being supplied to the community. Tap water is commonly used for cooking, washing, bathing, using the toilet,, and watering plants.
What Are The Mineral Contents Of Tap Water?
Tap water contains minerals that are good for drinking. It has sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other earth minerals that are needed by the human body. But the mineral contents will vary depending on the water source of your tap water.
Water Quality Standards Of Tap Water
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a quality standard for tap water to make it drinkable prior to being supplied to the neighborhood. The total dissolved solids do not exceed 600 milligrams per liter. The total hardness or the calcium and magnesium content must be less than 250 milligrams per liter. The pH value is between 6.0 – 8.0 to be drinkable. And of course, it must be free from disease-causing pathogens like total coliform and E.coli bacteria.
What Is Distilled Water And How Is It Produced?
Unlike tap water, distilled water has been thoroughly processed to become high-purity water. Distilled water has been purified from a process called distillation. In the process of distillation, water is heated beyond its boiling point, making it evaporate and leaving all the dissolved solids, minerals, and impurities behind. The evaporated steam is then condensed back to liquid form producing purified water. However, distilled water can be produced from tap water by using a distillation machine or equipment.
What Are The Mineral Contents Of Distilled Water?
Almost all of the mineral contents of distilled water have been removed during the process of distillation. In fact, about 99% of these minerals have been removed along with the contaminants and impurities. Distilled water contains only pure water.
Water Quality Standards Of Distilled Water
Distilled water is sometimes called absolute pure water. Its total dissolved solids content is around 1-5 milligrams per liter and its pH value is around 6.0 – 8.0. It has no minerals or nutrient value. Distilled water is also free from disease-causing pathogens, making it very safe to drink.
National Standards For Drinking Water
The National Standards for Drinking Water is the benchmark of all drinking water. All types of drinking water must follow these health and safety standards. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drugs Administration have formed this regulation to control and monitor the quality of water being supplied to the public. This contains the guidelines and information on the water source, contaminant levels, and drinking water quality, all of which help and protect the consumers.
Which Water Is Safe To Drink?
According to the National Standards for Drinking Water, tap water contains just the right amount of nutrients and minerals needed by the human body. It also passed the microbiology test, so it is safe to drink. On the other hand, distilled water’s mineral contents, contaminants, and impurities have been removed during the process. Even though it is not as healthy to drink as tap water, we can say that distilled water is very safe to drink because of its purity level.
In Conclusion: Tap Water Vs Distilled Water
Due to the increase in population and pollution, people nowadays are becoming health conscious when it comes to drinking water. Many people choose to drink distilled water rather than tap water. They only use tap water for bathing, toilet flushing, kitchen use, washing, plant watering, and even applications with pets. While distilled water has a wide application, people mostly use it for drinking, washing sensitive materials, creating standard solutions, and medical treatment purposes.
So, which water do you prefer? Let us know your thoughts and why in the comments below!
