Most of us drink water every day without thinking much about where it comes from. But when it comes to choosing between tap water, filtered water, and bottled water, the differences aren’t always as straightforward as they seem.
Each option can provide drinking water, but they differ in treatment, taste, convenience, cost, and environmental impact. And if you’re trying to improve the water in your home, understanding those differences can help you decide whether additional water treatment makes sense for your household.
Is Tap Water Safe to Drink?
Public drinking water in the United States is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Public water systems are required to monitor for regulated contaminants and meet federal drinking-water standards.
For most households served by a public water system, that means the water coming from the tap has already undergone treatment before reaching the home.
But meeting drinking-water standards and having water that tastes, smells, or performs exactly the way you want are not necessarily the same thing.
Water quality also varies by location and source. Naturally occurring minerals, treatment chemicals, plumbing, and other factors can all influence the water you experience at home.
Here in Utah, for example, naturally occurring mineral content contributes to the hard water many homeowners experience.
What Is Filtered or Treated Tap Water?
Home water treatment adds another layer of treatment at the point where you use the water or where it enters your home.
Depending on what you’re trying to address, that might include reverse osmosis, carbon filtration, water softening, or another type of treatment system.
A recent WC&P comparison of tap water, household-treated tap water, and bottled water highlights an important point: water treatment isn’t simply about declaring one type of water universally “better.” Different treatment methods address different water-quality concerns.
That’s why understanding your home’s water—and what you actually want to change about it—is important when choosing a treatment system.
What About Bottled Water?
Bottled water can be convenient, particularly when you’re away from home, but it isn’t automatically “better” than tap water simply because it comes in a bottle.
In the United States, bottled water is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while public drinking-water systems are regulated by the EPA.
Bottled water can also come from different sources and undergo different treatment processes. Some products originate from springs or groundwater, while others use municipal water that has undergone additional treatment.
For households that regularly purchase bottled water because they prefer the taste or quality, an in-home drinking-water system may offer another option: treated drinking water directly from the tap.
Why Do Some Homeowners Choose Reverse Osmosis?
Reverse osmosis, commonly called RO, is a drinking-water treatment process that pushes water through a very fine membrane.
Depending on the system and water conditions, RO can reduce a broad range of dissolved substances and other constituents in drinking water.
An under-sink RO system also provides treated drinking water directly at home, which can reduce the need to continually purchase, transport, store, and dispose of single-use water bottles.
But reverse osmosis isn’t necessarily the answer to every water problem.
For example, an RO drinking-water system and a whole-home water softener serve different purposes. A water softener primarily addresses hardness minerals such as calcium and magnesium throughout the home, while RO is typically used to treat water specifically for drinking and cooking.
Some Utah homes benefit from one. Others may benefit from both.
So Which Type of Water Is Best for Your Home?
There isn’t one answer that’s right for every household.
If you’re happy with the taste and quality of your tap water, you may not need additional drinking-water treatment at all.
If you’re buying bottled water regularly because you don’t like your tap water—or you’re concerned about particular water-quality issues—it may be worth finding out what’s actually in your water and whether home treatment could address those concerns.
The most useful question isn’t necessarily “Which water is best?”
It’s “What is in my home’s water, and what do I want to improve?”
Find the Right Water Treatment for Your Utah Home
At Water Specialties, we’ve been treating Utah water since 1984.
We help homeowners throughout Salt Lake City and surrounding Utah communities understand their water and choose treatment based on their home’s specific water conditions and priorities.
Depending on your needs, that could include reverse osmosis drinking-water treatment, whole-home water softening, filtration, or a combination of systems.
If you’re tired of buying bottled water, want better-tasting drinking water, or simply want to understand the water coming into your home, our team can help.
Ready to explore your home’s drinking-water options? Contact Water Specialties to find the right water treatment solution for your home.