Difference between Mineral Water and Packaged Drinking Water

Key Difference: Mineral water is the water that contains minerals. The minerals can be added artificially or can naturally be in the water. Packaged drinking water is the sealed water, which ensures that the water will be safe, clean, and drinkable for human consumption.

Mineral Water Water is an important source for life to exist at all. It is as essential as air. Without water there would be no life. Every single life on earth relies on water for sustenance.

Mineral water is the water that contains minerals. The minerals can be added artificially or it can naturally be in the water. It is believed that water is gotten from a starting place (source) like lake, rivers, or wells, which are the only places where the rich minerals are available. Even water from other places is treated with minerals by artificially adding the nutrients in it. Mineral water is a good source of nutrients and it provides extra benefits during consumption. It does not give off any problems. It becomes expensive as the water undergoes many processes before it is bottled.

Packaged drinking water is the sealed water, which ensures that the water will be safe, clean, and potable for human consumption. There are large number of manufacturers, which has a wide gap between demand and supply. Though, it is safe and clean, it is chemically treated and is not that healthier as compared to mineral water. It may be treated in various manners to eliminate microbial hazard, which anyhow will not contain sufficient minerals in it, or the minerals will be artificially added. It does not mean that the packaged drinking water will cause illness. From some sources, it has been observed that there has not been a documented major outbreak of illness from packaged water in the U.S.A. However, so often, there are some recalls of the product for various reasons.

If anyone asks the natural mineral water manufacturers, they say that there is a long process to package water for drinking and that any problems turn out to the fault of the poor quality of the raw material. However, they also say that the natural mineral water is fit for human consumption at the source and is packed without any treatment.

Comparison between Mineral Water and Packaged Drinking Water:

	Mineral Water	Packaged Drinking Water
Description	Water containing dissolved mineral salts or gases, such water is especially considered to be healthy to drink.	Packaged drinking water is the sealed water, which ensures that the water will be safe, clean, and potable for human consumption.
Treated	The water is not at all chemically treated	The water is chemically treated. For example: Chorination
Filtration	There is a small process for filtration in which no addition is done. In fact the natural contents remain in water.	It is chemically filtered.
Shelf life	Longer shelf life because of pure and natural consumption.	Synthesized product, and has a shorter shelf life.
Healthy	It is healthier for body because no chemicals are added.	It is not as healthy as compared to mineral water because it is chemically treated.