I had a day that turned out to be all about water. My newsfeed was pushing articles about limited water resources in other countries, and while I was sitting at home, an atmospheric river was dropping tons of water in our area. Meanwhile, I ran out of the distilled water that I use in my CPAP. With water on my mind, it is a great time to post what I know about this life-giving liquid.
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Potable Water is a Limited Resource
The word “potable comes from the Latin potare (“to drink”), so to say water is potable, is to say it is safe to drink. The Romans are the same people who built some of the world’s first aqueducts (above-ground channels) that brought potable water from the mountains to their cities (1).
Science writes: For many people in industrialized countries, getting water is as easy as turning on a faucet, and it’s rather inexpensive. But freshwater isn’t evenly distributed throughout the world. More than half of the world’s water supply is contained in just nine countries: the United States, Canada, Colombia, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Russia, India, China and Indonesia.
As a result, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 2+ billion people live in water-stressed countries, which is expected to be exacerbated in many regions as a result of climate change, and our population growth. The lack of water, or lack of clean and unsalted water, is an expanding global problem.
So knowing more about this precious, live giving liquid is important.
Water is Scientifically Complicated
Like many things I have written about, the more I look into what seems a easy topic, the more complicated it can get. So I started by looking at Britannica, and they wrote that water is: a substance composed of the chemical elements hydrogen and oxygen and can exist in gaseous, liquid, and solid states. It is a tasteless and odourless liquid at room temperature and water has the important ability to dissolve many other substances.
Chemically: Water is H2O, a clear, colorless, odorless, tasteless liquid that freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade [32F] and boils above 100 degrees centigrade [212F] .
For my purposes, water is that wet stuff our bodies (like other animals and plants) require for survival. It is one of the most plentiful compounds on our planet (although not always drinkable), and is something we use constantly in cooking.
Let me start by saying right up front that from all I have read and studied, the best and purist form of water that I know of is the “evaporated water” held in the air. When it reaches a certain height, it rains, and from that point anything can enter into the water, as it is considered a solvent. So as soon as it rains, atmospheric pollution and other chemicals in the air become dissolved into the water. It then falls onto the ground and filters down (through plant material, sand, rocks, etc), so moves from being ground water into collecting in aquifers. Now this process filters some of the bad stuff, but adds other soil pollution chemicals and things. So the bottom line is the water process, its changes through its life cycle, and what we choose to drink is complicated.
Types of Potable Water
Bottled Water
SafeWater org writes that the Canadian Bottled Water Association defines bottled water as water that meets all federal and provincial regulations for potable water, is sealed in a sanitary container, and is sold for human consumption. Most studies, however, show that bottled water and tap water are equivalent in terms of its water; but the bottled water is more expensive, and less transparent about sources and processes the water goes through.
Environmentally, since bottled water is often delivered via one-time-use plastic, we should all be switching from that type of water to personally carried metal or glass water thermos. Well managed tap water systems should be safe to drink, but I know many of these systems are not, in fact, safe.
While the FDA regulates bottled water, it does not require an expiration date, and by all that I have read, the reality is that bottled water has a shelf life of two years as the plastic it is housed in degrades over time, especially in heat. 1 year is suggested for carbonated water. So if you do see a “use by” date, it is about the plastic bottle and not the water.
There is bad news about bottled water, and it is not just that the bottles degrade, just buy water in glass containers. Or that companies are depleting natural and often city resources for a quick dollar. But that, as WaPo reports, a new research paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found about 240,000 particles in the average liter of bottled water, most of which were “nanoplastics” — particles measuring less than one micrometer (less than one-seventieth the width of a human hair).
Boiling Water
Boiling the water kills microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, or protozoans that can cause disease (1). But note, according to the CDC, if the water has a harmful chemical or radioactive material in it, boiling will not make it safely drinkable.
Many communities, due to faulty central water systems, faulty delivery systems or pipes, or environmental catastrophes, have received notices to boil their drinking water for fears of dangerous contamination. For many parts of the world, this is a chronic condition and boiling is always required. This is because the water delivered via the taps is not potable, boiling is the minimal action to take to make the water safer for drinking.
But issues around water are also of concern for hikers, campers, RVers, and others who spend time out in nature. Boiling water is a regular practice to fall back on when the water that was carried runs out. For drinking contaminated water, or using it for cooking, washing food, preparing drinks, making ice, and brushing teeth can make you sick with the common symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. This is also true for your pets.
The CDC recommends filtering out particulates (but this may not work for microplastics), and then boiling as the best way to safely make drinking water, and suggests a rolling boil from at least 1-3 minutes depending upon altitude; where higher means longer. Then, letting the water cool before safely drinking.
Carbonated Water
This type of water is generally mineral or spring water that has had carbon dioxide added to the liquid, or comes from a naturally carbonated spring. There are many names for a variation of carbonated waters, and while my family tended to call all fizzy water as Sprudelwasser; there are differences between the waters available on the grocer’s shelves.
- Seltzer Water: This is water, to which carbonation is added; simply fizzy water.
- Tonic water: Often this is a sweetened (often high-fructose corn syrup) seltzer with the bitter tasting quinine (think “gin + tonic”).
- Club soda: Sparkling water with added salty minerals (sodium bicarbonate + chloride and disodium phosphate).
- Mineral water: Similar to club soda, only the minerals are natural, never artificially added; but carbonation may be added later.
These carbonated waters can play a part in improving digestion and relieving constipation, but it also can actually cause bloating and gas. Consuming too much of this type of water, flavored or not, can have a negative impact on our teeth. Additionally, some of these types of water can have salt, so if you are watching your salt levels read the fine print.
Demineralized Water
Demineralized water has been treated by a method other than distillation, so that the mineral content is less than 10 parts per million (2).
Filtered water
In general, water filters generally work as a physical barrier to block contaminants or trap debris. The debris may be sand, metals, chemicals, fungus, bacteria, etc. Commercially, there are polypropylene and ceramic filters, activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis and distillers. Each have their purpose, and rarely does one type of filter work for all the issues our water may have.
- Filters have pores and are measured in microns.
- A micron = one micrometer, or one-millionth of a meter.
Particles 40 microns or smaller are invisible to the naked eye (3). So the process of filtration and size follows the above chart (4, 5, 6, 7):
- 50 micron filters out coal dust, pet dander, human hair, and plant spores.
- 30 micron filters out algae, solvents, silt and milled flour.
- 25 micron will filter out white blood cells, salt, sand and rust particles.
- 10 micron will filter out red blood cells, carbon dust, fertilizers, and insecticides.
- 5 microns will filter out some bacteria but not all, anthrax, some molds, coffee granules, and paint pigments.
- 1 micron filter to remove tastes and/or odors, asbestos.
- .5 micron filter to remove cysts (giardia and cryptosporidium), bacteria, lead, heavy metals, and PFAS chemicals. Over 2,300 places in America (1/2021) are known to have PFAS contamination.
- .1 micron filter removes viruses
Mineral Water
This type of water comes from a protected or private underground source via a borehole, or it may flow naturally to the surface. The FDA requires that “mineral water” contains at least 250 parts per million of “total dissolved solids.” Often these solids include calcium, magnesium and potassium, among others. The FDA requires that these minerals and trace elements must come from the water’s source, and cannot be added to the water after-the-fact (8).
Purified Water
Water collected at state or county facilities are run through a purification process before it is sent through various pipes to come out of our taps. However, “purified water” in this case is tap water that goes through an additional purification process for some research or industrial requirement.
Technically, purified water, is more “pure” than tap or spring or even filtered water. Purified water seems to be largely used in the production of medications, and in science and engineering laboratories and industries.
The EPA indicates “purified water” is to be effectively free of almost all chemicals (cannot exceed 10 parts per million of total dissolved solids). While purified water may be clear of microbes after additional treatment, but the “purified” label is not a guarantee (9).
Spring Water
Wikipedia writes that a “spring” is a point of exit at which groundwater from an aquifer flows out on top of Earth’s crust and becomes surface water. One of the keys to something called spring water is that it must come to the surface on its own and not by mechanical means.
“Artesian Water” is a type of spring water, that is collected from a well that taps into a confined aquifer.
Spring water undergoes one of the most incredible and natural filtration processes to reach the surface. Springs usually rise in areas with thick limestone bedrock that filters out many impurities. For bottling and selling, manufacturers often install wells to grab the spring water from its source, and still filter the water to remove any potential contamination (10). However, they have to show that the water from the aquifer is the same as the water from the spring to be approved to use this label.
In the USA, spring water must have less than 250 parts per million of Total Dissolved Solids (Canada states <500ppm of TDS).
Tap Water
This is the water that has been centrally processed by state, county, or city facilities and sent to your home via various pipes so that it comes out of your tap.
- EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System to find out about your water systems, and violations.
- Where does my water come from
- California Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) database: Cal Water Quality
Well Water
A well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water (Wikipedia). So well water is water that comes from an underground well. Often, well water is coming from an underground aquifer, instead of run- off or surface water. It is often viewed as cleaner and fresher than surface water. Additionally, groundwater is also considered filled with healthy nutrients and minerals.
Distilled water
Distilled water is type of purified water, both of which are allowed to contain up to 10 parts per million of total dissolved solids (aka contaminants) or less. It is so pure, that this is the water suggested for home medical devices, for instance I use it in my CPAP, and humidifiers, and other water-based devices.
This water should not be drunk however, it has no flavor anyway. The main reason, is that it will suck minerals from your body, in an effort to achieve equilibrium with your body’s flUids. Then you will pee out the important electrolytes from your system and suffer.
This water can be bought in national grocery store chains, but unfortunately they come in plastic bottles. There is some indication that distilled water can pick up leached materials from that type of container, so I prefer glass or stainless steel for my water containers.
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DIY Distilled water
To make your own distilled water takes energy, time, and patience. One CNET article said if you start with 8C tap water in a large pot, after 1 hour you will have 1-1/4C distilled water; or to make 1 gallon distilled water, it will take 13 hours.
- Put a large soup pot on the stovetop.
- Inside the pot place a rack. Fill the bottom with water until the rack is slightly covered.
- On the rack put a glass or metal bowl or pot. Make sure there is some wiggle room around the bowl, for air flow is important to this process.
- Then top with an upside down lid, so it makes a pyramid shape inside the pot to funnel condensation into the internal bowl or pot.
- Start the heat, but the intent is not to boil the water, a simmer (180F to 200F) just shy of a rolling boil would be a good heat for this prociess.
- Put ice in the inverted lid to make the lid colder than the interior of the pot so the water gas converts back to liquid quicker.
Two cautions, you will need to monitor this process to make sure you do not run out of water inside the pot and that you do not run out of ice inside the lid. Also, be sure to use an oven mitt so you do not burn yourself while checking the water levels.
Water collected in the interior bowl or pot is the distilled water, anything remaining in the larger pot is to be discarded.
RV In-line Filtration
For the RV we have a four step process.
- Every year we put the RV up for the few winter months, and before we start up again the next year we clean the fresh water tanks using bleach and water.
- Then to add water to the fresh water tanks we use a hose from our home taps to run municipal water through a Clear20 sediment filter (20 micron polyethylene) that provides a high debris holding capacity and eliminates silt, sand, sediment, rust & other particulates.
- Then, next in line is the Clear20 solid carbon (1 micron) filter that removes heavy metals, various chemicals, and VOCs. So the water is fairly clean going into our fresh water tanks.
- Finally, for dog and human drinking water we put the fresh water into a ZeroWater pitcher with a 5-stage water filter that is NSF certified to reduce lead, other heavy metals, and PFOA/PFOS.
Hope this was helpful.
—Patty
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