06/02/2019
Purified vs Distilled vs Regular Water: What’s the Difference?
Optimal water intake is essential for your health.
Every cell in your body needs water to function properly, which is why you must continuously hydrate throughout the day.
Most people know how important water intake is, but some are confused over the best type of water to drink.
This article investigates the differences between purified, distilled and regular water to find out which one is the best choice for hydration.
What Is Purified Water?
Purified water is water that has been filtered or processed to remove impurities like chemicals and other contaminants.
It is usually produced using groundwater or tap water.
Through purification, many types of impurities are removed, including (1):
Bacteria
Algae
Fungi
Parasites
Metals like copper and lead
Chemical pollutants
Several methods are used to purify water commercially and in the home.
In most Western countries, public drinking water is purified to make water safe for human consumption.
However, standards for drinking water around the world vary and are typically based on governmental regulations or international standards.
In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that over 2.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water (2).
In countries that purify public drinking water, various treatment methods are used to make water safe, including (3):
Coagulation and flocculation: Positively charged chemicals are added to water to bind with negatively charged particles so they can be filtered out. This forms larger particles called floc.
Sedimentation: Due to its larger size, floc settles to the bottom of the water supply, separated from the clean water.
Filtration: The clean water on top of the supply then flows through numerous filtration systems made of sand, charcoal and gravel. This removes contaminants like dust, bacteria, chemicals and viruses.
Disinfection: During this step, chemical disinfectants like chlorine are added to the water to kill any remaining bacteria or viruses that may have survived the first few steps.
It’s important to note that water may be treated differently depending on the area and quality of the local water.