Is Filtered Water Healthier Than Tap Water?
When it comes to drinking water, there are a lot of sources that you can choose from to get your essential fix of hydration and replenishment. Some of these common sources include bottled, mineral, alkaline, filtered and even tap water.
But when it comes to almost every household, the choice usually only lies between filtered water and tap water.
While both are widely used and consumed, the big question still remains: is filtered water really healthier than tap water?
In this article, we take a closer look at the difference between the two and come down to what’s ultimately the best drinking water of choice for you and your family.
FILTERED WATER
HOW HEALTHY IS FILTERED WATER?
Filtered water is generally considered healthy because of how it’s purified straight from the source. By passing through a filter and purifying system, the process of physical filtration allows larger particles to be removed from the water.
On the other hand, chemical filtration uses a range of simple chemical reactions to further break down and chase away smaller impurities that physical filters are unable to reach. This is usually done through an activated material like carbon — a highly effective way of eliminating microscopic particles from the water source.
When it comes to the benefits of having filtered water, it’s generally known to make water taste fresher and cleaner. This is because chlorine and bacteria have already been removed from the water’s composition. There’s also the added benefit of cost, as filtered water not only serves as an ideal choice for drinking but for cooking and cleaning as well.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF FILTERED WATER?
When done properly, filtered water is generally considered safe and healthy. It’s also important that the filters used in the filtration process are regularly replaced to comply with sanitary protocols and measures.
TAP WATER
HOW HEALTHY IS TAP WATER?
Unlike filtered water, tap water usually gets a lot of heat because of the way it looks, tastes and what’s normally in it.
So is tap water safe and healthy for you? It depends. If your municipal tap water system employs a process that heavily treats away chemicals, bacteria and other contaminants, then you can consider it as a safe choice for consuming water.
However, even the most stringent tap system can have its own faults and setbacks — and it’s a risk that you should always consider when drinking water straight from the tap. On rare occasions, contaminants such as pesticides, pathogens and fuel byproducts have been known to exist in different municipal water systems.
So if you’re concerned about your health and safety, it’s important to make sure that your local tap provider has a safe and secure system in terms of its purification processes.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF TAP WATER?
When it comes to risks associated with drinking tap, a lot of pipes used to deliver it can contain a significant amount of lead and copper. Additionally, it can result in leakages and contamination.
In a 2016 data released by the Journal of the American Water Works Association, it was revealed that lead in service lines continues to be widespread across different water systems in cities and regions in the United States. Roughly 30% of these surveyed water systems reported the existence of lead in their service lines; the paper’s authors, on the other hand, estimate that there are about 6.1 million lead service lines in the country’s local water systems.
In other published reports, it was also found that chlorine was also present in the water type. This, along with the presence of microplastics in the water’s composition.
IS FILTERED WATER REALLY HEALTHIER THAN TAP WATER?
When comparing the two, it’s been found that the former is generally considered safer and has a low risk of having contaminants in its composition. But that’s not to say tap water should be ruled out for being risky and unsafe — it still contains low to high levels of minerals after all.
But when it comes to the presence of contaminants, this is where you should make the careful decision. Compared to filtered water, tap water is on the medium risk level when it comes to contaminants.
So if you’re looking for the safest option between the two water types, then it’s always best to proceed with filtered water as your water of choice. Because of its stringent purification process and added barrier for removing contaminants, it’s considered as the safer choice out of the two.
