Purified Water and Spring Water: How to Access Them Safely

by Brandon Spaulding

Credit: Free on Unspash

Water is arguably the most important substance for organisms to consume. It is used for drinking, bathing, cleaning, cooking and so much more. It allows every cell in your body to function properly. When you go to the grocery store, you see two kinds of water: spring water and purified water. Which one is better for you? Where do they come from? These are the questions that are going to be answered in this article.

“So the difference in my opinion between purified and spring water is that purified water is water that has had all of its impurities removed, which come from minerals that exist in rivers, lakes, and the runoff water that comes down from mountains, as spring water is that same water but without removal of its minerals and its other contents that may be in it. Now, conventional wisdom, when you are trying to build immunity, is to expose yourself to some of those things. So, in my opinion, you should take spring water over purified water, as it would be more beneficial to expose your body to those other minerals. Not to say that there are pathogens In it, but it does help your body provide the necessary elements and minerals in the right amount, as there is a strong idea that one's provided by the earth are enough to get you by. And as spring water comes down from the mountains, it has some of those minerals that are found in the rock and the materials that the water flows through,” states wellness director and anatomy teacher Joshua Cantor.

Purified water is water without any impurities, minerals, or other elements. These have all been filtered from the water. Spring water is water that has minerals from rocks and nature. The article “Purified Water vs Spring Water: Which is Better?“ was written on Healthline by Katey Davidson, a Canadian dietitian and personal trainer.  The author states that “if preferred, you can purchase at-home filters to purify your water” (Davidson, 2021). Bottled water can be expensive to buy. It must be bought every one to two weeks based on how much water is consumed per day. This can result in spending around $260 a year. 

Moreover, It is not healthy to consume bottled water as it contains bisphenol-A (BPA) and other chemicals. The article Bisphenol-A (BPA)/Bisfenol A (el BPA) is written by the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (CUMSPH), which advocates for the environmental health of children. The text expresses “BPA is considered an endocrine disrupting chemical that either mimics or blocks hormones and disrupts the body’s normal functioning” (CUMSPH). BPA is linked to cancer, infertility, and other health issues. This is not what you would like to leach out into your drinking water. It is also found in oceans, lakes, and rivers where plastic is found. We must find healthier alternatives to harmful plastic water bottles. 

One way to avoid BPA and save money is to buy a five-gallon BPA-free jug and dispense water into it using a water station inside or outside the store for around $1-$2 depending on what supermarket you go to. This ensures that you have safe purified drinking water that is affordable. Another option is to buy a reverse osmosis water system. Reverse osmosis is a filtration process where water is put under pressure to pass through a membrane that filters out chlorine, lead, PFAS, and other harmful impurities. This can allow your tap water to become purified water that is completely safe for consumption, cooking, and cleaning. 

Spring water can be safely accessed by buying glass bottles of spring water or buying BPA-free bottled spring water, both coming from one specified source. For instance, the brand Eternal produces fresh alkaline spring water that is sourced from the Smoky Mountains, Tennessee. This is water that comes from rivers and streams and gets minerals from the rock and sediment of the environment. The water is packaged in BPA-free plastic to prevent any harmful chemicals from leaching out into the water.  Another brand that produces high-quality spring water is Mountain Valley Spring Water which is bottled in glass. This water comes from the Ouachita Mountains in Oklahoma. Since the water is bottled in glass, no harmful chemicals could leach into the water. 

In closing, both purified water and spring water are excellent to use. Purified water is an excellent option as long as it has been through reverse osmosis or other filtration systems. Spring water is not only purified, but it also contains minerals that can fuel your body. Therefore, spring water is the best water to use for drinking while exercising or traveling to stay hydrated, as purified water does not have those beneficial minerals. So next time you are considering what water to have, remember how it is made and where it comes from.