What is the best water to drink? Finding the purest and healthiest hydration

October 1, 2025 •

5 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drinking enough water is crucial for overall health, helping to prevent dehydration and supporting normal body function. But with so many options, the question of what is the best water to drink can be confusing. The ideal choice depends on several factors, including your location's tap water quality, your personal health goals, and budget. This article provides a comprehensive overview of your options, from purified to mineral water, so you can make the right choice for your lifestyle.

Quick Summary

This guide compares different types of water—tap, bottled, filtered, spring, alkaline, and mineral—detailing the purification processes, mineral content, and health considerations for each. It offers a clear comparison to help you weigh the benefits and drawbacks, from safety and cost to environmental impact and taste, to select the best option for your hydration needs.

Key Points

Filtered Tap Water is the Top Choice: For most people, a high-quality home filtration system for tap water provides the best balance of safety, taste, cost, and environmental friendliness.
Bottled Water Has Hidden Costs: Bottled water is expensive, generates significant plastic waste, and can contain microplastics. Its quality is also not consistently superior to regulated tap water.
Alkaline Water's Health Claims Lack Evidence: While alkaline water contains minerals, claims of significant health benefits are not backed by strong scientific research, and excessive intake can potentially disrupt the body's pH balance.
Minerals are Important, but Food is the Primary Source: Water can provide some minerals, but a healthy, balanced diet is the main source of essential nutrients like calcium and magnesium. Filtered water can be remineralized if needed.
Purity and Taste Go Hand-in-Hand: Home filtration systems, especially those using activated carbon, remove chemicals like chlorine that cause unpleasant taste and odor, encouraging better hydration.

What is the best water to drink?

Your tap water, filtered water, bottled water, spring water, and alkaline water each come with a unique set of pros and cons. For most people in areas with safe public water systems, filtered tap water offers a superior and environmentally friendly option. However, those in regions with poor tap water quality, a specific health condition, or particular taste preferences may benefit from other alternatives.

Comparing Different Types of Water

To make an informed decision, it is essential to understand the different types of water available and what they offer.

Tap Water: This is water delivered to your home through the municipal system. It is regulated by agencies like the EPA (in the U.S.) to meet safety standards, and it's highly cost-effective and convenient. However, water quality can vary significantly by location, and potential contaminants can include chlorine (used for disinfection), heavy metals, or microorganisms, especially in areas with older plumbing. Many people also dislike its taste and odor due to the chlorine treatment.
Filtered Tap Water: This involves using a filter to remove contaminants and improve the taste and odor of tap water. Common filtration methods include activated carbon, reverse osmosis (RO), and UV filters. A good filtration system provides an extra layer of protection against impurities like chlorine, lead, and PFAS, giving you cleaner and better-tasting water on demand. Options range from affordable pitcher filters to more comprehensive under-sink or whole-house systems. While highly effective, RO filtration can strip away beneficial minerals, which is why some systems include a remineralization stage.
Bottled Water: Purchased in single-use plastic or glass bottles, bottled water often comes from springs, wells, or is simply purified tap water. While convenient and widely available, it is often significantly more expensive than tap water. A major concern is the environmental impact of plastic waste, and studies have also found bottled water can contain microplastics. The quality and source can also be inconsistent across brands.
Spring and Mineral Water: Both come from underground sources. Spring water is bottled at the source and naturally contains minerals like calcium and magnesium, which contribute to its taste. Mineral water must contain at least 250 parts per million of dissolved solids and can be a good source of electrolytes. These waters are typically free of municipal additives, but mineral content varies by source, and they are generally more expensive than tap or purified water.
Alkaline Water: This type of water has a pH level higher than regular tap water (typically between 8 and 9.5) and contains alkaline minerals. Proponents claim it can neutralize acid in the body and offer benefits like improved hydration and antioxidant effects, but robust scientific evidence is often lacking. Excessive consumption may lead to side effects or mineral imbalances, especially for those with kidney conditions. Many commercially available alkaline waters are produced artificially via electrolysis rather than coming from a natural source.
Distilled Water: This is water that has been boiled into vapor and then condensed back into liquid, removing almost all impurities, including minerals. While exceptionally pure, this process leaves the water with a flat taste and can potentially cause mineral deficiencies if consumed exclusively over a long period. It is more commonly used in medical and industrial applications rather than for daily drinking.

What is the best water to drink?: Comparison Table


Feature	Filtered Tap Water	Bottled Water	Spring Water	Alkaline Water
Source	Municipal tap water	Springs, wells, or purified tap water	Natural underground springs	Tap water or natural source
Purity	Excellent, removes contaminants like chlorine, lead, PFAS	Variable, potential for microplastics and inconsistent treatment	Naturally filtered, but can contain trace contaminants	High purity in processed brands, but source varies
Mineral Content	Low, but can be remineralized after filtering	Highly variable by brand; some add minerals	Naturally rich in minerals	Higher mineral content (calcium, magnesium)
Cost	Low annual cost after initial filter purchase	High, often 1,000x more than tap	High, similar to bottled water	High, especially bottled brands
Taste	Neutral, clean, and crisp due to removed contaminants	Varies by brand and mineral content	Unique, mineral-rich taste	Some may perceive it as having a different taste
Environmental Impact	Minimal, reduces plastic waste significantly	High due to single-use plastic bottles	Moderate, involves bottling and transport	Moderate to High, depending on packaging and sourcing
Health Considerations	Safer than unfiltered tap water; can be remineralized	Potential exposure to microplastics; variable quality	Can contain natural minerals, but purity varies	Claims of benefits often lack strong evidence; potential for mineral imbalance with excess intake

Which type is right for you?

For many people, filtering tap water at home is the most practical and beneficial option. A high-quality filter, such as an activated carbon filter or a reverse osmosis (RO) system, provides a cost-effective way to get clean, great-tasting water on demand. Remineralization filters can even be added to RO systems to restore essential minerals that are otherwise removed. This approach minimizes plastic waste while ensuring a consistent water quality far superior to most bottled alternatives.

However, if your local tap water is of particularly low quality, bottled spring or mineral water might be a safer temporary choice, though this is a less sustainable and more expensive option. For those with specific health concerns, it is always best to consult a healthcare professional. Ultimately, the healthiest water is any water that is safe, palatable, and consistently available, encouraging you to stay properly hydrated.

Conclusion

The answer to "what is the best water to drink" is not a simple one, as it depends on your individual circumstances. While bottled spring and mineral waters can offer high purity and beneficial minerals, their environmental impact and high cost make them less ideal for daily, long-term consumption. Filtered tap water, achieved through a quality home filtration system, emerges as the best choice for most consumers. It provides a superior, purified product that is both healthier for you and the planet, all while being the most cost-effective option. Making the switch to a home filtration system is a simple yet impactful way to prioritize your health and reduce your ecological footprint.

The Importance of Hydration Beyond the Type of Water

Regardless of the type of water you choose, the most important aspect of a healthy diet is staying consistently hydrated. Your body depends on water for vital functions like regulating temperature, transporting nutrients, and flushing out waste. In addition to drinking water, you can also increase your fluid intake through other beverages and hydrating foods like fruits and vegetables. The key is to find a reliable, safe source of drinking water that you enjoy, as this will encourage you to drink more throughout the day and support your overall well-being.

Fresh Water Systems offers a variety of filtration systems to help you achieve clean, safe drinking water at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not necessarily. In many countries, tap water is highly regulated and safe to drink. Bottled water quality can vary by brand and can contain microplastics from the plastic container. Filtering your tap water often provides a safer and more transparent option.

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a filtration process that uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove a wide range of impurities, including heavy metals and bacteria. RO water is very safe to drink but can be acidic and lacks minerals, which is why many RO systems now include a remineralization stage.

While alkaline water is richer in minerals and some studies suggest benefits like improved hydration or reduced acid reflux, the overall impact on the body’s pH is small and the health claims are not scientifically conclusive. Consulting a doctor is recommended for specific health concerns.

Some advanced filtration methods, particularly reverse osmosis, remove both contaminants and beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium. However, many modern systems include a remineralization filter that adds these minerals back in, or you can get them through your diet.

The most environmentally friendly option is drinking filtered tap water. This significantly reduces the plastic waste generated by single-use bottled water. Whole-house or under-sink filter systems offer a sustainable and cost-effective solution.

Your local water utility is required to provide an annual water quality report detailing any contaminants in the public water supply. You can also use a home water testing kit to check for specific issues or send a sample to a lab for more precise analysis.

Distilled water is extremely pure but has had all its minerals removed, leaving it with a bland taste. Long-term exclusive consumption of distilled water could potentially lead to mineral deficiencies. It is not typically recommended for daily drinking.