Distilled Water vs Spring Water: What’s the Difference?

Distilled water and spring water sit at opposite ends of the mineral scale. Spring water is natural water from an underground source that keeps the minerals it picked up underground. Distilled water is purified by boiling and condensing, which strips out nearly all minerals and contaminants, leaving water that is almost pure H₂O.

The clearest way to see the difference is how the FDA classifies them: spring water is defined by where it comes from, while distilled water is defined by how it is made. Neither is universally "better." Spring water suits everyday drinking and people who want natural taste and minerals; distilled water suits appliances, medical uses, and anywhere mineral scale is a problem. Both are FDA-regulated and safe to drink.

The Core Difference: Source vs. Process

This is the distinction almost every other comparison misses. Under the FDA's bottled water standards, these two waters are defined on completely different bases.

Spring water is defined by its source. Per the FDA regulation, spring water is "water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth" and "shall be collected only at the spring or through a bore hole tapping the underground formation feeding the spring." Nothing in that definition removes minerals; spring water is identified by its natural origin, so it keeps its natural mineral content.

Distilled water is defined by its process. The same regulation defines "purified water" as water "produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, or other suitable processes" that meets the U.S. Pharmacopeia purity standard. Distilled water is the version made by distillation. It is defined by the treatment that removes minerals, not by where the water came from.

So spring water tells you origin; distilled water tells you purification. That single distinction explains everything else that follows.

What Spring Water Is

Spring water comes from an underground formation and reaches the surface through natural flow (or a borehole tapping that same underground source). Because it moves through rock, it carries dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium, and it is not demineralized at any point. That mineral character is part of its identity.

Spring water sold in the US is regulated by the FDA, which requires bottlers to "process, bottle, hold and transport bottled water under sanitary conditions," protect their sources, and test for contaminants. In practice, spring water is filtered and disinfected as needed for safety while keeping its minerals. The CDC confirms that FDA-regulated bottled water is safe when it meets standards.

How much mineral content? It varies by source and has no set minimum, so one spring water can be noticeably more mineral-rich than another.

What Distilled Water Is

Distilled water is made by boiling water to steam and condensing it back into liquid, leaving minerals, salts, and most contaminants behind. The result has a total dissolved solids level near zero. It is very pure and, because the minerals are gone, tastes flat. For the full picture, see what distilled water is.

Spring Water vs "Mineral Water" (Not the Same Thing)

A common mix-up: spring water and mineral water are different FDA categories. "Mineral water" has a defined minimum, containing not less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids, with a constant level of minerals from the source and no minerals added. "Spring water" has no such minimum, so its mineral content ranges widely. A spring water can be low in minerals or, if it hits 250 ppm from its source, also qualify as mineral water. Distilled water, at the far end, has essentially none.

Which Should You Drink?

For everyday drinking, this mostly comes down to taste and minerals, and the honest answer is that it is a preference, not a health verdict.

• Taste: many people prefer the taste of spring water because the dissolved minerals give it flavor, while distilled water tastes flat. That is a matter of personal preference, not one being objectively "better."
• Minerals: spring water's calcium and magnesium are a small nutritional bonus, but they are not a necessity from water. Most of your mineral intake comes from food; water is a minor supplementary contributor. The World Health Organization has studied low-mineral water and frames the mineral contribution of water as modest.

The balanced takeaway: distilled water is not "dead" or dangerous, and spring water is not a health requirement. Both are safe. If you enjoy the taste of minerals, spring water is a fine everyday choice; if you drink distilled water, you are simply drinking very pure water.

Which Should You Use?

For non-drinking uses, distilled water usually wins, precisely because it has no minerals to leave behind as scale:

• Appliances: CPAP humidifiers, steam irons, and household humidifiers generally call for distilled water to prevent mineral buildup.
• Automotive and equipment: topping off lead-acid car batteries, and many medical and laboratory uses, require mineral-free water.

Spring water, with its minerals, is not the right choice for these, since it would leave the very scale you are trying to avoid. If you need distilled water regularly for these uses, a home distiller is more practical than buying it by the gallon; see our guide to the best water distillers for home. And if you are weighing distilled against other purified options, compare distilled water vs purified water and distilled water vs reverse osmosis.

Disclosure: This article is informational and not personalized medical advice. World Water Reserve may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

Key Takeaways

• Spring water keeps its natural minerals; distilled water is purified to near-zero minerals. They are opposites on the mineral scale.
• The FDA defines spring water by its source (an underground formation with natural flow) and distilled water by its process (distillation to a purity standard).
• Spring water's mineral content varies by source and has no minimum; "mineral water" is a separate category requiring at least 250 ppm dissolved solids.
• Both are FDA-regulated and safe to drink; the drinking choice is mostly taste and preference, not health.
• Water minerals are a modest supplement, not a necessity, so distilled water is not dangerous and spring water is not required.
• For appliances, batteries, and medical uses, distilled water is preferred because it leaves no mineral scale; spring water is not suitable for these.