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What is Spring Water?

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

Spring water is water that is harvested from a natural spring. Unlike many forms of bottled water that are filtered and treated to remove impurities, water from a natural spring is considered to contain a beneficial level of minerals and is normally bottled directly at the source. In recent years, it has become available in a number of different retail outlets.

Part of the attraction of spring water is that it is often water that has moved to the surface from some type of underground water source. As such, the water is considered to be free of contaminants as well as unspoiled by the use of modern filtration techniques. Many proponents note that the liquid has a naturally refreshing taste that cannot be replicated by other types of water.

Water from natural springs may flow into mountain rivers.
Water from natural springs may flow into mountain rivers.

Many people assume that spring water and mineral water are the same. This is not the case. While both types of water are harvested from the hydrosphere, mineral water tends to contain a higher level of elements that are known as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). While some people consider these additional minerals to be beneficial, others think of them as being too much of a good thing. For people who prefer water that contains trace amounts of minerals without altering the natural taste of water, spring water is a much more attractive option.

Spring water may be bottled directly at the source.
Spring water may be bottled directly at the source.

The use of spring water has become common in many households. Users of the water note that using it to brew coffee or tea will result in a more desirable taste for the beverage. Many people who worry about contamination levels in municipal water systems will use this water for cooking and drinking purposes and use water from city systems for bathing or washing clothes.

Some argue that spring water is free of contamination and the negative influences of modern filtration techniques.
Some argue that spring water is free of contamination and the negative influences of modern filtration techniques.

Once available only in health food stores, spring water is now found in a number of different retail outlets. Supermarkets often carry at least one brand, as do convenience stores and large discount retail chains. Even coffeehouses often will carry at least one brand of bottled water for consumers who wish to refrain from coffee and tea based beverages.

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including DelightedCooking, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

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Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including DelightedCooking, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

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Discussion Comments

anon358942

Which has more minerals: rain water or spring water?

anon297375

I am doing a project on relative hardness of water. So is spring water "hard" due to its abundance of minerals?

anon148405

how do you care for a spring or spring house?

Amphibious54

@ Glasshouse- Spring water flows to the surface from underground. It is water that flows from the water table either at a cliff face or a fault where the water is able to run up the impermeable rock to the surface. An artesian spring is different from your standard spring. Artesian springs are formed when an aquifer is trapped between two aquicludes (a permeable layer of rock between two impermeable layers of rock). The aquifer is filled at the recharge area, which is the highest elevation that the permeable and impermeable layers are exposed.

When an artesian spring is formed it is because a fault has caused the top impermeable layer to slide down and partially block the impermeable layer. This causes the water to run along the impermeable layer to the surface. Basically the fault acts like a natural artesian well. If the spring is located below the potential water table (an imaginary horizontal line that originates at the recharge area), than the spring is a surface spring. If it is above the potential water table it becomes an underground artesian spring.

Glasshouse

So how exactly does spring water flow to the surface? Also, what is an artesian spring? I always hear about artesian well or spring water, but I am not really sure how it is different from other types of water. Can someone explain to me how these types of water make it to the surface and how the water source is replenished? I am interested to know what makes artesian water so special.

anon79977

Spring water is defined as where water flows on to the surface of the earth from below the surface. Thus it is where the aquifer surface meets the ground surface. You need to wait for a long drought to see if the water is still flowing to the higher surface of the earth like mountains.

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    • Water from natural springs may flow into mountain rivers.
      By: Galyna Andrushko
      Water from natural springs may flow into mountain rivers.
    • Spring water may be bottled directly at the source.
      By: monticellllo
      Spring water may be bottled directly at the source.
    • Some argue that spring water is free of contamination and the negative influences of modern filtration techniques.
      By: luchshen
      Some argue that spring water is free of contamination and the negative influences of modern filtration techniques.
    • The use of spring water has become common in many households.
      By: ZINQ Stock
      The use of spring water has become common in many households.
    • Some people prefer to use spring water when brewing coffee.
      By: al62
      Some people prefer to use spring water when brewing coffee.