Natural spring water is not distilled. They are two fundamentally different types of water, produced in completely different ways, with distinct mineral content, taste, and regulatory classifications. If you’re comparing bottles at the store or choosing a water source for your home, understanding the difference matters.
How Spring Water and Distilled Water Are Made
The core difference comes down to process. Spring water is collected from an underground formation where water flows naturally to the earth’s surface. As it moves through layers of rock and soil, it picks up minerals along the way. The FDA defines it specifically by its origin: it must come from an identified natural spring, either collected at the surface or through a borehole tapping the same underground source.
Distilled water is manufactured. The process involves boiling water until it turns to steam, then cooling that steam back into liquid form. Because most minerals, salts, and impurities don’t evaporate with the water, they get left behind. What you end up with is water that has been stripped of nearly everything except the water molecules themselves. The FDA classifies distilled water as a type of “purified water,” a category that also includes water treated by reverse osmosis and deionization.
So spring water keeps what nature puts in. Distilled water has it deliberately removed.
Mineral Content Sets Them Apart
Spring water naturally contains dissolved minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and bicarbonate. The exact mineral profile depends on the geology of the spring’s source. Water that filters through limestone, for example, picks up more calcium and magnesium than water moving through volcanic rock.
Distilled water contains virtually no minerals. The boiling and re-condensing process is effective enough to remove the vast majority of dissolved solids. This is why distilled water is sometimes called “demineralized water” on labels.
The World Health Organization has examined the long-term health consequences of drinking demineralized water, including water produced through distillation. Their concern centers on the fact that drinking water can be a meaningful source of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium, and removing those minerals entirely may have health implications over time, particularly in populations with marginal dietary intake of those nutrients.
They Taste Noticeably Different
If you’ve ever tasted distilled water and thought it seemed flat or oddly empty, that’s the absence of minerals. Minerals are what give water its character. Research published in Water Research found that people consistently preferred water with moderate levels of dissolved solids, particularly water with higher concentrations of calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, and sulfate. These minerals contribute a subtle, slightly sweet or smooth quality that most people associate with “good” water.
Distilled water, stripped of those compounds, often tastes bland or slightly metallic to people accustomed to mineral-rich water. Spring water, by contrast, tends to score well in taste preferences precisely because it retains those naturally occurring minerals.
Labeling Rules Keep Them Separate
The FDA established standard of identity regulations for bottled water in 1995, and those rules make it illegal to call distilled water “spring water” or vice versa. A bottle labeled “spring water” must come from a natural underground source. A bottle labeled “distilled water” must have been produced through distillation. These aren’t interchangeable marketing terms.
You’ll sometimes see spring water that has been filtered or treated to meet safety standards, but that processing doesn’t make it distilled. Filtration removes sediment or bacteria while leaving the mineral content largely intact. Distillation removes essentially everything. The two processes aim at completely different outcomes.
When Each Type Makes Sense
Spring water works well as everyday drinking water. It’s palatable, contains beneficial minerals, and is widely available. Most people who buy bottled water for drinking are reaching for spring water or mineral water without necessarily knowing the distinction.
Distilled water has specific practical uses where mineral content is a problem. It’s the preferred water for steam irons, CPAP machines, car batteries, and laboratory equipment because mineral deposits can damage or interfere with those devices. Some people use it in humidifiers to avoid the white mineral dust that tap or spring water can leave behind.
For drinking purposes, distilled water is safe but offers no mineral benefit and most people find the taste unappealing. If you do drink distilled water regularly, you’ll need to get the calcium, magnesium, and other minerals it lacks entirely from food. For most people, spring water or filtered tap water is the more practical choice for hydration.