Purified, spring, distilled, filtered, and tap water. There are a lot of different terms when it comes to something as simple as water, and it can be easy to get confused by the differences between them. We’ve compared spring water with purified water in the past, so now let’s look at distilled water, its properties, and how water is distilled.

What is distilled water?

Distilled water is similar to purified water in that it has had all or almost all of the impurities removed from it. This includes any minerals as well as bacteria and other contaminants. Distilled water could start from spring water or basic tap water, which then goes through a distillation process.

How is distillation achieved?

While purified water may go through various processes and treatments to remove the contaminants, distillation is a fairly simple process that you could even do yourself. Distilled water is that which has been evaporated, and then the water vapor has been collected once it condenses. This can be achieved through simple heating and cooling processes. You boil the water to make it evaporate, then collect the condensation on something like a pot lid as it cools, and collect the water as it drips down from the condensation.

Check out more detailed instructions on how to distill your own water at home.

In more commercial or industrial settings, a specialized distillation machine can be used to distill and collect the water much more efficiently. Since the majority of the contaminants contained in water don’t boil at the same temperature as the water, they are left behind in the original container while the water evaporates and condenses to be collected in another container. This method can be used, for example, to separate the salt content out of seawater to make it drinkable.

Pros and cons of distilled water

While distilled water is free of contaminants, most people don’t enjoy the taste of it because it is lacking the minerals that generally give water its refreshing and satisfying taste. Essentially, distilled water will have no taste. It also won’t provide the benefits of those minerals that you’d get from drinking spring water, for example.

In fact, distilled water will draw minerals from the materials around it to restore a balance, meaning it can actually leach minerals from your body. So, if you do drink distilled water, make sure that you’re getting plenty of minerals and other nutrients through your diet.

Distilled water can have a number of uses in situations where the minerals and contaminants in other types of water could be harmful. For example, steam irons tend to advise using distilled water. Distilled water can also be good for water your plants or filling your car, and even for use in fish tanks and aquariums.

If you want the best-tasting water in your home, then contact Mountain Park Spring Water for more information about our spring water delivery service around Virginia and North Carolina.