What is the difference between artesian and distilled water

The source and nature of the water is indicated on the label according to FDA requirements. These two agencies have different standards for the water that they regulate. In general, EPA's quality standards are higher because it is sent out to a much larger number of people. However, FDA does have strict standards of purity and labeling that must be met by all manufacturers of bottled water. A Diversity of Bottles: The companies who produce bottled water package it in containers of diverse shapes, sizes, and styles.

Each is intended for a specific type of end use or a specific marketing program. It often is. It can cost over times as much as tap water. The FDA requires bottlers to identify what type of water is in every bottle. If the label says "from a community water system" or "from a municipal source" or something similar, you are buying the equivalent of tap water.

The bottler might treat municipal or community water so that it meets the United States government's definition of "purified water," "demineralized water," "deionized water," "distilled water," or "reverse osmosis water. All of this processing, bottling, and labeling has a cost. Generally, the highest cost waters are those in single-serving containers.

When water is purchased in larger containers, the cost per gallon declines. Mineral water was traditionally consumed at the spring where it was produced. Then, enterprising businesses decided to bottle it for distributed sales, in this case by the Skidmore Drug Company.

Image by the United States Bureau of Mines. Some bottled waters are specially produced and marketed as being from a natural water source. Listed below are some of the more common water identities. These dissolved solids could be considered impurities. However, some people believe that the dissolved minerals provide specific health benefits.

There are very few rigorous studies on the health benefits of mineral waters produced from specific sources. The FDA does not allow the producer to add additional minerals to the water or claim that mineral water provides any unproven "health benefit.

A spring is a location where water flows naturally to earth's surface. In the past, many people believed that spring water was special because it emerged from the ground and had not been used before.

However, the processes which form springs are now well understood, and the water that flows from them is simply groundwater with no special qualities. Artesian Aquifer: Cross-section showing an aquifer tapped by artesian wells. Pressure within the aquifer forces water up the wells. The well on the right side of the diagram is a flowing artesian well that yields water without pumping. The artesian well on the left has a water level that is higher than the top of the aquifer; however, it is not a flowing artesian well.

USGS Image. To be an artesian well, the water in the aquifer a subsurface rock unit that holds and transmits water must be under enough pressure to force it up the well to a level that is higher than the top of the aquifer.

Although this is an interesting geological situation, artesian water has no special chemical or medicinal qualities. The producer may artificially replace any carbon dioxide that is lost during processing but may not add more than what the water had when it emerged from the ground.

Although this is a rare geological situation, the water is a novelty rather than being a product that provides special health benefits. Well Water: Cross-section showing deep and shallow wells used to produce groundwater. The deep well penetrates to a depth below the seasonal low water table. It has the ability to produce water during times of drought when the water table falls and shallow wells go dry.

The shallow well is not deep enough to produce a sustained flow of water during times of drought. The water table is a level in the ground below which all pore spaces are filled with water. Are there valid, discernible differences among artesian, distilled, nursery and drinking water or is it all another case of marketing to the gullible?

Whether you need to use bottled water is another question. Primary standards are for safety. Secondary standards apply to such things as taste, Cliver says, and anyone is entitled to dislike the taste of tap water.

If they don't like it, then bottled water is an obvious solution. Cliver does say that in older homes that may have lead pipes, residents may want to consider bottled water for cooking and drinking. Lead can't be boiled out of water. As for the varieties of water, many companies have at least two, usually distilled and drinking. Brimm said that the water is from Lake Michigan or underground springs in central Indiana, Arkansas or California.

It is filtered through deposits of sand and gravel, then transferred to stainless-steel tankers for the trip to the bottling center. Before bottling, it is carbon filtered and treated to kill any bacteria. Distilled: Lake Michigan water is converted into steam so any contaminants are left behind as sediment when the water vaporizes.

Distilled water is free of all minerals and sodium. It also is tasteless. Products search. Providing quality water to Northeast Ohio since Author: April Schroeder. Reverse Osmosis.

Defining Artesian Spring Water The term artesian comes from Artois, a province in France where such wells were first used thank you dictionary. How is Artesian Water Created?

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