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Step 1
Learn the difference between distilled water and other types of drinking water. Distillation removes minerals and bacteria from water by capturing steam that results from heating water to the boiling point. Some suggest that distilled water is the safest water to drink.
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Step 2
Read about scientific tests of bottled water that have been conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. These test focus mainly on the safety of bottled water by measuring bacteria and chemicals that could be harmful.
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Step 3
Choose distilled water by finding out more about the supplier’s water source and its safety testing at the bottling facility. The FDA regulates bottled water sources. Periodic inspection of bottling equipment is necessary to prevent the reintroduction of bacteria into bottled water. Failure to conduct these tests could result in contaminated products that reach the consumer.
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Step 4
Check the labels on packaging in retail and grocery stores to determine the method used to purify water. Purified drinking water is not always distilled. Other methods such as deionization, reverse osmosis and simple charcoal filters can be used for purification of drinking water.
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Step 5
Check your state’s bottled water regulations to find out about additional regulations that distilled water must meet. Obtain copies of any reports that bottlers must provide to your state water regulators.
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Step 6
Try a brand that meets EPA and FDA specifications first. The distillation process removes naturally occurring minerals from water so many consumers find that distilled water “tastes” flat or “off.” This has no effect on the safety of the water.
