What Are the Benefits of Distilled Water?

What is Distillation & What are the Benefits of Distilled Water?

Distilled water is water that has been heated to the boiling point so that impurities are separated from the water, which itself becomes vapor or steam. Steam is then condensed back into pure liquid form. The impurities remain as residue and are removed. Pure Water Distillation Systems remove waterborne biological contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, organic and inorganic chemicals, heavy metals, volatile gases, cysts and other contaminants. Distilled water contains virtually no solids, minerals or trace elements. It is clean, natural and healthy. Steam distilled water is the standard by which all other waters are measured.

Preferred Drinking Water

Distilled water is fast becoming recognized as a preferred drinking water and the benefits of distilled water are many. It is the first choice of many top athletes and sports teams.

What is Distilled Water Used for?

  1. Drinking Water
  2. Cooking & Baking
  3. Crystal Clear Ice
  4. Baby Formula
  5. Drinking Water for Pets
  6. Water for Plants & Seeds
  7. Washing Hair
  8. Neti Pots
  9. Humidors
  10. Car Batteries and Car Radiators
  11. CPAP Machines
  12. Health Care Use
  13. Cleaning

Consumable Needs

Pure distilled water should be used for all of your consumable needs, or anything that goes into your body. It is highly recommended for cooking. Did you know that boiling can concentrate some contaminants? So, why boiling water can sometimes be helpful, it may not always be the best solution. Distilled water uses also included making ice cubes, soup, coffee, tea, pasta, rice, baby formula, juices, Kool-Aide®, or simply healthy drinking water. Unfortunately, the contaminants that are found in tap water are still finding their way into your body unless you are always using pure distilled water.

Compare Reverse Osmosis with Distilled Water

Check out our Comparison Chart that shows you the differences between 99.9% Pure Distilled Water and Reverse Osmosis or just filters.

Comparison Chart »

Why is Distillation the Best?

Why Use Steam Distilled Water?

Distilled water is the cleanest healthy drinking water on Earth. It is free from contaminants and can be used for many consumable and non-consumable uses. Feel free to add vitamin or mineral drops, drink sticks or anything else to your water once you know you are starting with a clean slate. By doing this, you know EXACTLY what is in your water instead of finding out later that there is lead, arsenic, nitrates, bacteria, viruses or something else in your water.

Water Distillers and the Environment

So many people drink bottled water that the plastic waste produced, and the cost of shipping bottles everywhere is enormous. It is estimated that 60 million empty water bottles enter landfills every day! Think of the environmental cost of all of this unnecessary plastic waste. With a home water distiller, you can have fresh, clean water every day with no plastic waste. With the help of a few high quality stainless steel water bottles, you can take your water with you. Moreover, businesses can purchase water distillers so they can provide their employees and visitors with high-quality clean water anytime. Pure Water sells high-quality stainless steel water distillers made in the USA.

What Kinds of Water are There?

Why Use Distillation?

Distillation is the single most effective method of water purification and can be used throughout the world on all types of incoming water. Unlike other treatment methods such as carbon filters and reverse osmosis, our systems are effective on virtually all contaminants and are not dependent on water pressure, water temperature, pH, or chlorine and can even be used on water containing bacteria and parasites and still produce safe, 99.9% pure water.

Where Can the Pure Water Distillation Unit be Installed?

Practically anywhere. It requires an electrical outlet and a level, ventilated location. Access to a water supply is required for the automatic refill units. With the addition of the accessory demand pump, the unit can be placed in a remote, out-of-the-way location and distilled water can be pumped out of the storage tank to the kitchen faucet, refrigerator or any location of your choice.

What Maintenance is Required?

The units are designed for little maintenance in normal situations. Once per week the boiling tank should be drained to dispose of the contaminants which have been removed from your drinking water (the automatic drain units do this automatically). The boiling tank should be cleaned once per month, although this may vary depending on water conditions in your area. Each unit also incorporates an activated carbon post-filter which requires changing every three months.

Where Can I Buy Parts or Supplies?

Pure Water Online ordering We are proud to announce an online parts and accessories store for owners of Pure Water products who do not have access to a local dealer or distributor.

Are Distillation Systems Expensive to Operate? What is the Price of Distilled Water?

Essentially, the price of distilled water, if you make it at home with a distiller, is about 18 cents a gallon. Distillation systems use about 3 kWh of electricity for each gallon of water that is distilled. The national average cost of electricity per kWh in the US is 6¢ which means the price of each gallon of distilled water is about 18¢, a fraction of the cost of buying bottled water! You can find your personal cost per gallon by multiplying 3 times the kWh rate in your area.

I’ve Heard That Distillation Cannot Remove Volatile Organics?

Some articles have been written about distillation systems being unable to remove volatile organics (organic chemicals that have a boiling point lower than water). They claim these gases carry over with the steam. To ensure this does not happen, Pure Water Brand units are equipped with patented twin volatile gas vents on the condensing coil, which remove virtually all of these contaminants. For even further protection, each Pure Water Brandunit is equipped with an activated carbon post-filter to provide you with high quality distilled water with a 99% removal rate of virtually all contaminants.

Does Distilled Water Leach Minerals from My Body?

Absolutely, not! In fact just the opposite has been found to occur in cellular research studies. It is a mistaken belief that drinking pure distilled water reduces valuable minerals from living human tissues.

There are two types of minerals, organic and inorganic. Human physiology has a biological affinity for organic minerals. Most organic minerals for our body functions come from dietary plant foods. A growing plant converts the inorganic minerals from the soils to a useful organic mineral.

Tap water presents a variety of inorganic minerals which our body has difficulty absorbing. Their presence is suspect in a wide array of degenerative diseases, such as hardening of the arteries, arthritis, kidney stones, gall stones, glaucoma, cataracts, hearing loss, emphysema, diabetes, and obesity. What minerals are available, especially in "hard" tapwater, are poorly absorbed, or rejected by cellular tissue sites, and, if not evacuated, their presence may cause arterial obstruction, and internal damage Even if the human tissue suddenly developed the ability to absorb inorganic minerals from tap water, it would take an enormous amount of tapwater to supply the bare minimal mineral quantities for human life functions. If (for example) the rich inorganic mineral content of the tap water in Reno, Nevada were modified so that it would convert the daily Calcium requirement (RDA) from its inorganic calcium solutes, you would have to drink 7.4 gallons of their tap water!

When inorganic minerals are "removed" from tapwater, by converting it into pure distilled water, the result is a remarkable biological mineral absorption for both health and maximal metabolic activity.

Distilled Water Dangerous?

No it is not dangerous at all. There are many myths surrounding distilled water and health, but distilled water is, in fact, the cleanest water you can drink.

Aren’t there minerals missing from distilled water that my body needs?

There is no doubt that the body needs minerals. This issue is perhaps the ‘hottest’ one regarding the use of distilled water. It is easy to find an equal number of ‘authorities’ or ‘experts’ on both sides of this controversial issue. In short, virtually all nutritional and medical authorities agree that the body assimilates organic minerals from the daily food cycle. Where the authorities disagree is whether or not the body directly extracts any nutritional value from the minerals found in an inorganic source such as dissolved rocks, dirt, and stone found in tap or mineral waters.

Perhaps the best way we have found to sort out this problem is to evaluate various tap and mineral water sources around the world and determine the amount of inorganic minerals (by weight) which would be consumed by drinking an average of two liters of tap water daily. Then, we compare this number to the amount of minerals (by weight) found in a normal daily diet. Dr. Jon Kirschmann’s Nutritional Almanac is one of several good sources for this data. When these two sources of minerals are compared, the results are real eye-openers.

On the average, over 95% of the major and trace minerals ingested daily (by weight) come from food (fruits, vegetables, animal products) - and less than 5% from drinking water. The distilled water ‘mineral issue’ then can be focused into a much clearer question: Is it really smart to ingest all types of heavy metals, bacteria, chemicals used in water treatment processes, industrial and agricultural chemical residues, etc. simply to get that little additional percentage of daily mineral intake from water sources. We don’t think so!

Independent Unbiased 3rd Party Water Test Results for Pure Water Distillers

Removal of Biological Contaminants

Microbiological Contaminants are a group of living organisms which can be found in water supplies. Such contaminants can be the cause of illness in humans that consume drinking water containing these contaminants.

OrganismRaw Water
Concentration
Product Water
Concentration
Removal EfficiencyAction
Level
Test
Method
Bacillus subtilis1 x 108 CFU/MLNone Detected99.9%10 CFU/MLNSF Std 62, Annex C

Bacillus subtilis is used as a surrogate indicator. The removal of bacillus subtilis spores is generally recognized as an indicator of the removal of the following biological contaminants from water: K. terrigena (bacteria), the Polio and Rota viruses, Giardia Protozoa, and Cryptosporidia Protozoa.

Removal of Inorganic Contaminants

Inorganic contaminants are heavy metals, chemicals, and compounds which do not incorporate a carbon atom in their molecular structure. While relatively few in number, some inorganic contaminants have a high toxicity and can be found in many water supplies. The most toxic inorganic contaminants – such as lead – are regulated by the US EPA.

Inorganic Chemical Feed Water Concentration (ppm) Product Water After Treatment (ppm) Percent % Reduction
Antimony 0.195 0 >99.9%
Arsenic 0.25 0 >99.9%
Barium 0.07 0 >99.9%
Beryllium 0.19 0 >99.9%
Boron 0.285 0 >99.9%
Cadmium 0.168 0 >99.9%
Calcium 44.65 0.48 98.9%
Chloride 84 0 >99.9%
Chlorine 1.55 0 >99.9%
Chromium 0.185 0 >99.9%
Cobalt 0.18 0 >99.9%
Copper 0.19 0 >99.9%
Fluoride 3.7 0 >99.9%
Hardness 147.15 1.3 99.12%
Iron 0.21 0 >99.9%
Lead 0.165 0 >99.9%
Magnesium 15.1 0.25 99.8%
Manganese 0.175 0 >99.9%
Mercury 0.0222 0 >99.9%
Nickel 0.18 0 >99.9%
Nitrate 31.65 0 >99.9%
Phosphorous 0.2 0 >99.9%
Potassium 8.185 0 >99.9%
Selenium 0.27 0 >99.9%
Sodium 82.8 0.02 99.9%
Thallium 0.19 0 >99.9%
Vanadium 0.195 0 >99.9%
Zinc 0.09 0 >99.9%

Removal of Radioactive Contaminants

Radioactive ContaminantFeed Water ConcentrationProduct Water After TreatmentPercent % Reduction
Uranium40.5 ± 3.19
pCi/L ± Error
0.000 ± 0.562
pCi/L ± Error
>99%
Cesium178.9 ppb0.4 ppb99.8%

Removal of Organic Contaminants

Organic compounds contain a carbon atom in their chemicals structure. This group consists of thousands of different entities, many derived from the petrochemical industry. Common organic contaminants include cleaners, herbicides, pesticides, and industrial process wastes.

Because herbicide and pesticide contamination is such a common concern, we've grouped those in a separate chart below this one of other organic contaminants:

Organic ChemicalFeed Water Concentration (ppb)Product Water After Treatment (ppb)Percent % Reduction
Phenol180>99.9%
Phenol180>99.9%
2-chlorophenol14.50>99.9%
2-nitrophenol110>99.9%
2,4-dichlorophenol12.50>99.9%
4-chloro-3-methylphenol57.50>99.9%
2,4,6-trichlorophenol320>99.9%
2,4-dinitrophenol135.50>99.9%
Pentachlorophenol720>99.9%
Naphthalene130>99.9%
4-nitrophenol82.50>99.9%
Benzene90>99.9%
Bromobenzene90>99.9%
Bromochloromethane10.50>99.9%
Bromodichloromethane31.50>99.9%
Bromoform12.50>99.9%
n-Butylbenzene6.50>99.9%
sec-Butylbenzene6.50>99.9%
tert-Butylbenzene7.50>99.9%
Carbon tetrachloride6.50>99.9%
Chlorobenzene90>99.9%
Chlorodibromomethane25.50>99.9%
Chloroform5750>99.9%
2-chlorotoluene8.50>99.9%
4-chlorotoluene8.50>99.9%
1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane71.50>99.9%
1,2-Dibromomethane11.50>99.9%
Dibromomethane6.50>99.9%
1,2-Dichlorobenzene17.50>99.9%
1,3-Dichlorobenzene16.50>99.9%
1,4-Dichlorobenzene16.50>99.9%
1,1-Dichloroethane100>99.9%
1,2-Dichloroethane11.150>99.9%
1,1-Dichloroethene40>99.9%
cis-1,2-Dichloroethene6.50>99.9%
trans-1,2-Dichloroethene100>99.9%
1,2-Dichloropropane80>99.9%
1,3-Dichloropropane110>99.9%
1,1-Dichloropropene7.50>99.9%
cis-1,3-Dichloropropane8.50>99.9%
trans-1,3-dichloropropene9.50>99.9%
Ethylbenzene8.50>99.9%
Hexachlorobutadiene12.50>99.9%
Isopropylbenzene7.50>99.9%
p-Isopropyltoluene90>99.9%
Methylene chloride600005.5>99.9%
Naphthalene15.50>99.9%
n-Propylbenzene6.50>99.9%
Styrene1.950>99.9%
1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane10.50>99.9%
1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane9.50>99.9%
Tetrachloroethene70>99.9%
Toluene8.50>99.9%
1,2,3-Tricholorobenzene7.50>99.9%
1,2,4Tricholorobenzene13.50>99.9%
1,1,1-Trichloroethane10.30>99.9%
1,1,2-Tricholorethane110>99.9%
Trichloroethene7.50>99.9%
1,2,3-Tricholoropropane11.50>99.9%
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene80>99.9%
1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene7.50>99.9%
o-Xylene26.50>99.9%

Removal of Herbicides and Pesticides

Any chemical in a category that ends in the word “cide” - as in pestiCIDE, herbiCIDE, insectiCIDE, and fungiCIDE - are chemicals that are specifically designed to kill things and are intentionally designed to be toxic.

Herbicides are designed to kill weeds. Pesticides and insecticides are designed to kill insects, mites and other bugs. Fungicides are designed to kill fungus. Et cetera.

Many of these chemicals are heavily regulated because of the detrimental health effects they cause from extreme or sustained exposure.

Herbicides and PesticidesFeed Water Concentration Mg/L (ppb)Product Water After Treatment Mg/L (ppb)Percent % Reduction
Acetachlor1.950>99.9%
Alachor1.850>99.9%
Ametryn1.90>99.9%
Butylate2.050>99.9%
Cyanazine1.950>99.9%
Deethylatrazine1.550>99.9%
Deisopropylatrazine0.70>99.9%
EPTC1.90>99.9%
Ethalfluralin1.70>99.9%
Fonofos0.70>99.9%
Glyphosate185.80>99.9%
Metolachlor1.950>99.9%
Metribuzin1.850>99.9%
Pendimethalin1.850>99.9%
Propachlor1.650>99.9%
Prometon1.80>99.9%
Prometryn1.90>99.9%
Propazine1.90>99.9%
Simazine1.850>99.9%
Triallate1.80>99.9%
Trifluralin1.950>99.9%
2,4-D110>99.9%
2,4-DB10.50>99.9%
2,4,5-T10.50>99.9%
2,4,5-TP100>99.9%
Dicamba10.50>99.9%
Pentachlorophenol60.30>99.9%
MCPA100>99.9%
MCPB11.50>99.9%
MCPP10.50>99.9%
Picloram110>99.9%
Trichlopyr110>99.9%

Appendix of Units

Methodology Used

This page is a compilation of testing performed at various 3rd party laboratories including the University of Nebraska -  Lincoln's Water Sciences Laboratory, Midwest Laboratories, FGL Environmental, and Harris Laboratories, Inc. 

All Pure Water distillation systems were installed in accordance with manufacturers instructions in accordance of Owners Manuals.

For details on methodology of a specific test for a certain contaminant, please contact us at [email protected].

Note: the contaminants listed in these tests are not necessarily present in the drinking water of the reader.

What the Experts Say About Distilled Water

How Nature Purifies Water

Water is essential to all life. Without it the biosphere that exists on the surface of the earth wouldn't be possible. Nicknamed the "water" planet, earth is covered by one of our most precious resources. However 97% is locked in the oceans, toxic to humans and many plants and animals. How do we obtain fresh water resources then?

The Hydrologic Cycle

To understand, we need to turn to the Hydrologic Cycle. The Hydrologic Cycle (also called the water cycle) is the process that moves water around the earth. The cycle starts with the sun heating water in our rivers, lakes and oceans and turning it into water vapor which rises into the air (called evaporation). When water vapor cools it forms clouds (condensation) which become heavy with water and rains back to earth (precipitation).

Water is Not Created or Destroyed

It is this process that cleans the earth’s water. Water is not created or destroyed. Simply put, it is continually changing location and form. The water you drink today may have been lapped up by dinosaurs millions of years ago, or helped fill Julius Caesar’s bathing pool. The water we use now is the same supply the human race started with. Its quality is renewed again and again by the natural Hydrologic Cycle.

There are Seven Steps to the Hydrologic Cycle

  1. the highly contaminated ocean water (35,000 PPM of total dissolved solids)
  2. the warming rays of the sun
  3. the invisible evaporation of water molecules from the ocean's surface
  4. the clouds
  5. the cool air in the atmosphere that triggers the rain to start
  6. the rain (0 PPM of total dissolved solids)
  7. the accumulation of rainfall in lakes and streams