Spring Water or Purified Water? Pros & Cons

by Jay | Updated on August 12th, 2022

Many different labels face difficulty when reaching for a bottle of water. We all want to drink as pure and healthy as possible, but which type of water will provide it? Although spring water has a nice ring to it, purified water sounds so pure.


So, what’s the difference between them? Is it even relevant?

focus photo of person scooping water

If you’ve been wondering which option to choose or whether it even makes a difference, we’ll go over the difference between the two types of water so you know precisely what you’re drinking.

Following that, we’ll discuss which one is safer for your overall health, so you can make a rational decision the next time you reach for a water bottle.

What is spring water?

When you talk of spring water, images of a mountain creek with crisp water coming directly from the ground may come to mind. This is what the manufacturers want you to believe, but the reality isn’t quite so cheery.

Most of the water you consume is pumped into tankers from underground springs. Tankers then transport the water to a facility where it is processed and bottled.

time lapse photography of water falls

Despite the enticing name, spring water possesses many of the same impurities as tap water. Water must be ozonated or chlorinated before being transported by truck, so it is already contaminated with chemicals.

Once at the bottling facility, it is subjected to a carbon filtration process. This method would kill the chlorine, making it a better alternative to tap water. Many other compounds, however, like metals and nitrates, would be left behind.

Since it is not filtered, springwater can still contain many vital minerals for your well-being, even though it contains other pollutants. This is one advantage of spring water because purified water is free of all substances, including the minerals you require.

How is spring water produced?

Since spring water is derived from vast underground aquifers, you may assume that the water is contaminated.

That, however, is not the case. Springwater usually goes through a natural filtration phase as it travels through thick limestone bedrock to the surface. As the water increases, the rock filters out any impurities, so the springs are still clean and clear.

However, since commercial spring water must be moved in large amounts by tanker trucks to bottling facilities, it must be ozonated or chlorinated to prevent contamination.

When the water arrives at the plant, it is subjected to a carbon filtration process that eliminates chlorine, sediment, and other elements while preserving the healthy minerals that contribute to its flavorful taste.

Pros and cons of spring water

Springwater has a plethora of outstanding benefits, but it also has some drawbacks. Let us go through them quickly.

Pros

  • Springwater retains all the necessary minerals in the proper amounts required by the body.
  • It is suitable for people of all ages to consume.
  • It is exceptionally pure.
  • It has a light, refreshing flavor.
  • It must adhere to all FDA regulations.

Cons

  • Pollutants such as chlorine, nitrates, metals, and other undesirable elements can still be present in spring water.
  • In most situations, these impurities are hazardous to your well-being.

What is purified water?

aerial view of city during daytime

Purified water is described as water that has been processed and treated to contain ten parts per million or fewer dissolved solids. Many methods of water purification are available to reduce water to this level.

Water can be purified using reverse osmosis, distillation, or ion exchange. When you purify water, you are removing everything from it. Chemicals, microbes, sediment, minerals, metals, and other contaminants can be eliminated. Because some of the absent minerals give water its flavor, this leaves the water bland and empty.

Water purification methods

Water can be purified in a variety of ways. Distillation and reverse osmosis are two of the most common and easily accessible methods. An RO system mounted under the sink performs reverse osmosis and delivers purified water to a dedicated faucet.

This system is usually made up of filters and RO membranes that remove all impurities from the water. A special filter is often used at the final filtration stage to help reinstate the necessary minerals.

A water distiller boils the water, trapping the emitted steam and leaving the pollutants behind. Once trapped in the condenser, the steam is cooled until it reverts to vapor. The final filtration stage passes the water through a carbon filter. The water is then stored as pure, distilled water. This method produces a single gallon of distilled water in 4-6 hours.

Pros and cons of purified water

Purified water, just like spring water, has several advantages and drawbacks. Let’s get started.

Pros

  • Less exposure to hazardous substances, traces of prescription medications, and other dangerous compounds that may endanger you or your family.
  • Gets rid of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms
  • Free of unpleasant odors, often caused by metal plumbing, organic matter, and chemical treatments.
  • Purified water can originate from any source because removing impurities makes it purified.
  • Remineralization will restore important minerals crucial to your health while also improving the taste of your water.

Cons

  • Flat, bland taste (except remineralized)
  • Lack of essential minerals

Is it healthier to drink purified or spring water?

Most of us want to know that we’re drinking the cleanest, purest water possible. As a result, you might be wondering if you should drink spring water or purified water. The reality is that they both have tradeoffs that are either beneficial or detrimental to your well-being.

Both toxins and pollutants have been removed from purified water. There are no bacteria to make you ill, no sediment particles to feel in your mouth, and no chemicals to poison you slowly. However, there are no minerals.

While you should be getting enough minerals from your diet, eliminating a source of minerals can cause deficiencies. Few water purification systems, like reverse osmosis, address this issue by reintroducing necessary minerals. Water distilled in this manner is the healthiest option for drinking.

Springwater retains all of the essential minerals that are vital for your health and give water its flavor. Other toxins may also be present, such as nitrates, metals, chlorine, and other chemicals.

Some of these may have been present in the source spring, while others may have been used in the transportation and processing of the water. In any case, you’ll get the undesirable minerals together with the highly desired minerals, and there’s no way to separate them.

They are FDA and EPA-regulated.

Springwater, like all bottled water, must adhere to FDA regulations.

The FDA and the EPA are also in charge of ensuring drinking water quality. The EPA is in charge of public drinking water (tap water), while the FDA is in charge of bottled drinking water.

Unlike purified water, spring water undergoes very little distillation since the aim is to preserve the minerals that occur naturally.

To meet FDA requirements, bottled spring water must be screened and treated for sediment.

According to LiveStrong.com, purified water could come from any source because removing impurities makes it purified.

Purified water is much purer than spring water, tap water, or groundwater.

Which is better: purified water or spring water?

There is no correct answer to this question. The “better” water is determined primarily by what you believe to be the big determinants. The source is the real truth about water. If you are concerned about the quality of the springs, such as those in Flint, Michigan, you could opt for purified water. This also applies to international travel.

Many who prefer spring water prefer its natural minerals, which are not present in purified options. These added minerals make the water more health-beneficial, and some say that they also enhance the taste of the water.

Although both forms of water are safe to drink, spring water has some advantages that purified water does not. This is due largely to the presence of naturally occurring minerals, which are extracted during the purification process.

According to the EPA, both purified and spring water are deemed safe to drink (and, in reality, fall well within the parameters of “safe” drinking water). Depending on your local tap water quality, all spring and purified waters are thought to be purer than tap water.

So, Is it better to drink spring water or purified water? Although the choice between the two is a matter of personal preference, we would go for purified water if we had to choose one. Here are a few of the reasons why:

  1. Water can be purified from a variety of sources.
  2. It is more widespread than spring water.
  3. By remineralization, some water purification devices, such as RO filters, can incorporate healthy minerals into the water.
  4. Purified water is devoid of toxic substances and toxins that could damage you and your family.
  5. Since purified water is purified more thoroughly than spring water, it has a higher purity level and is safer to drink.

Conclusion

While spring water and filtered water sound identical, they are not the same. Springwater is stored and treated rather than filtered. It still contains minerals beneficial to your health and leads to a pleasant taste, but impurities such as metals, nitrates, and others may be present.

On the other hand, purified water has been processed and treated to contain just ten parts per million dissolved solids. This ensures it has been depleted of all necessary minerals while still being free of unwanted pollutants such as chemicals, bacteria, sediments, and more.

It will also taste flat because it lacks the minerals that offer water flavor. Some purification methods, such as reverse osmosis, can reintroduce essential minerals, rendering it the healthiest option for drinking.

Jay

Jay is a health and wellness enthusiast with expertise in water quality and nutrition. As a knowledgeable advocate for holistic well-being, Jay successfully manages Type 2 Diabetes through informed lifestyle choices. Committed to sharing reliable and authoritative insights, Jay combines firsthand experience with a passion for enhancing health."