Best Drinking Water: Comparing your options in Australia
Water is the life-preserving compound that every living thing on planet Earth needs to survive. Consistently consuming the best drinking water in the right quantity will lubricate your joints, regulate body temperature, support metabolism, remove waste from tissues, help improve mood, reduce fatigue and offer many more benefits to keep your body functioning at peak efficiency every day.
In Australia, we are fortunate enough to enjoy treated drinking water in our homes. With structured government guidelines in place and the availability of effective water filters testing and technology, we can enjoy a higher quality of water than many other countries around the world.
As awareness grows around what makes water truly good for you, more Australians are exploring alternatives to standard tap water. This raises a practical question: what is the best drinking water available in Australia, and how do you choose between the different types?
To help you find an answer, we've provided a straightforward breakdown of the different types of drinking water you can enjoy in Australia, along with how each one stacks up for your family's health.
Tap Water: Convenient, but is it the Best Water to Drink?
Likely the most readily available option, tap water is becoming increasingly questioned as our primary water source. In Australia, the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines ensure that public water is treated in a way that is considered safe to drink across the country. It is also cheaper and much more convenient than other types of water on this list, and for that reason, this option may be considered the best value for money drinking water available for many.
However, regardless of guidelines and testing, there is a potential risk associated with the chemicals and compounds used in water treatment. Chlorine, fluoride and chloramines are routinely added during treatment, and concerns around the growing pollution problem impacting water sources like lakes and reservoirs, as well as increasing concerns around microplastics in tap water, continue to grow. A way to potentially counteract these risks and put your mind at ease is to invest in a high quality water filter system designed to purify and remineralise the water in your home.
Mineral Water
Often considered one of the best types of drinking water, mineral water contains some of the essential minerals your body needs every day, including magnesium and calcium. These minerals can help with digestion and support inflammation management, and mineral water offers a unique taste to enjoy.
Unfortunately, most commercial mineral waters available do not contain adequate levels or a broad enough range of minerals our bodies require. The cost of such products can be prohibitive, particularly when compared to tap water. For those enjoying a healthy, balanced diet, mineral water may not contribute much in relation to added minerals.
Sparkling Water
For those who enjoy something different, sparkling water may be a positive alternative to sugary carbonated drinks. Infused with carbon dioxide gas while under pressure, sparkling water provides a fizzy sensation without the usual sugar content found in carbonated beverages. That said, carbonated water is actually acidic water 3 to 4 pH. For those looking for cost-effective drinking water that will also improve their wellbeing, this is unlikely to be the choice for you.
This type of water carries an even higher cost, without providing any additional health benefits over regular water.
Boiled Water
The most traditional means of purifying water, boiling water is a relatively simple and cost-effective way of removing bacteria from regular tap water that may make a person unwell.
The process can be time-consuming, though, and the boiling process can result in a duller taste. It also will not remove substances like chlorine from tap water and other unwanted heavy metals and pollutants, meaning that there are still longer term potential health risks connected to its consumption. If you're concerned about heavy metal exposure in water, boiling alone won't address the problem.
Distilled Water
This is essentially water that has been boiled to produce steam, which is then collected and converted back into a liquid. Distilled water is useful for those living somewhere where the main water supply is undrinkable due to contamination.
Lacking any vitamins or minerals, distilled water offers no health benefits and can even potentially pull minerals away from parts of the body. Depending on how long it has been exposed to air, the pH reading of distilled water can range anywhere between 5.5 and 6.9 making it acidic rather than alkaline. For anyone exploring the benefits of alkaline water, distilled water sits at the opposite end of the spectrum.
Spring Water
As this type of water is claimed to be bottled directly from a water source like a natural spring, it should be largely clean and free of contaminants. A popular water choice, spring water is easily accessible with most stores carrying several well-known brands.
As with any bottled water option, spring water carries a cost that tap water does not. The raw, unfiltered varieties could pose a potential health risk to consumers, depending on what may be found within the water. There are also longer-term sustainability concerns with bottled water and its impact on our environment. When weighing up the best water to drink long term, the environmental cost of single-use bottles is worth considering alongside health factors.
Purified Water
Purified water refers to groundwater which has been treated to remove contaminants to make it safe for consumption. It does not, however, contain any of the potentially beneficial components found in regular tap water. Systems like reverse osmosis fall into this category. You can compare reverse osmosis with zazen water to understand the differences in mineral retention.
Flavoured Water
This alternative to regular tap water can be achieved in many ways, from adding syrups, infusing with fruits and vegetables, or artificial flavourings. This can add a bit of variety to an otherwise routine water intake, even encouraging some people to drink more throughout the day.
The downside is that many flavoured waters contain sugars and sweeteners that can have negative health impacts. They also carry a cost, varying with different brands and qualities.
Alkaline Mineral Water: A Strong Contender for the Best Drinking Water in Australia
With a higher pH level, alkaline water can contain a range of essential minerals (also called electrolytes) that provide health benefits for the body. The best form of alkaline water for hydration is better defined as alkaline mineral water: water with a balanced range of alkaline minerals and electrolytes supporting hydration at the cellular level.
A lot of research has been done and continues to be done in this area. It is believed that alkaline mineral water can affect the aging process and even contribute to preventing cancer. The zazen Alkaline Water System produces water with an average pH of 7.4 to 8.5 (depending on your source water), giving your home access to hydrating alkaline mineral water every day.
Consistently drinking highly alkaline water (above 10 pH), as produced by ioniser technology, could potentially reduce stomach acidity, affecting its ability to protect against harmful bacteria. You can read more about how ionisers compare with zazen to understand why a balanced pH matters more than an extreme one.
Find Your Way to the Best Drinking Water in Australia with zazen
Each of these different types of drinking water will appeal to different individuals across Australia. With their own variety of pros and cons, there is no one "right" type of drinking water to recommend as the best drinking water in Australia. Instead, it's important to understand the methods and processes that take place to provide safe drinking water, weighing up the potential benefits and risks to your own health.
Armed with this understanding, you'll be able to make informed decisions about finding the best water to drink for you and your family, while exploring the different options available to ensure you have enough safe, quality drinking water in your life.
At zazen Water, our philosophy has shaped our design: providing water that is clean and free of contaminants and chemicals, containing a balanced range of alkaline minerals for absorption by the body, and structured for optimal hydration at the cellular level. It is this blending of eastern and western perspectives emulating the water cycle of Mother Nature, made more readily available to homes across Australia.
Our system uses a multi-stage filtration process that first removes the things you don't want in your water, then adds back the minerals your body needs. Learn more about the zazen Alkaline Water System and how it can benefit your family.
