Water School

Artesian, spring, well and ground water comes from an underground aquifer and may or may not be treated. Well and artesian water are tapped through a well.Spring water is collected as it flows to the surface, and ground water can be either.Distilled water comes from steam from boiling water that is condensed. Distilling kills microbes and removes minerals, giving water a “flat” taste.Drinking water is simply intended for human consumption and can come from a variety of sources, including publi...

The main difference between water from a faucet and bottled water is the source. Water from your faucet comes from a local source - ground or surface water that is treated for contaminants at a municipal plant before it is sent through pipes to your home. In the case of some rural residents, water is drawn directly from the ground through nearby wells and may or may not be treated in a home-based system.Bottled water can come from anywhere across the country, ranging from artesian wells to ...

Desalination is the process of removing dissolved minerals (including total dissolved solids, chlorides, and others) from water to produce potable water for human consumption or fresh water for industrial use. The two most popular methods are thermal and membrane technologies.In the thermal process, salty water is heated to make vapor, which is condensed and collected as fresh water leaving the minerals behind. Membrane processes use high pressure to filter water through permeable membranes...

The woody, musty, earthy taste that shows up from time to time in our drinking water is normally due to natural causes. The main culprit: algae. When blue-green algae end their lifecycle they emit an oily substance called geosmin, which has a distinctive earthy taste that humans can detect in even small concentrations. While this added flavor in drinking water can be annoying, it poses no health hazard.While water utilities have long worked to reduce the prevalence of the offensive taste and odo...

The mineral content determines whether your elements' water is either “hard” or “soft.”  The higher the mineral content, the harder the water. Minerals affecting water hardness can include calcium and magnesium bicarbonate or calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride.The harder the water, the more soap is needed to make foam or lather. Hard water also produces scale in hot water pipes, heaters, boilers and other places where the ...

Your water comes from either a nearby reservoir, stream, or from groundwater.  Where your water originates depends largely on where you live. Water sources can vary between surface water and ground at different locations within a relatively small geographical area. Many municipalities blend both surface water and groundwater together before sending it to your home.The State of Texas requires that your water provider inform you of where your water originates.  Most providers send t...