When one thinks of water, one thinks of the clear liquid that flows from the tap, but water can be many things. In this article, I will describe a bit about the different forms of water used in the household.
Water exists in three different forms: liquid, solid (ice), and gas (steam).
Tap Water
Tap water is the water that comes out when you turn on the tap. The name tap water comes from the old days when water was fetched from a water post, where the water was typically pumped up from the ground through a vertical post.
Throughout Denmark, there is a significant difference in the lime content of the water, but in general, we have a high level compared to many other places in the world. It is also said that the water is hard. This means we need to use more soap when washing clothes and that there will be deposits of lime where the water stands still and evaporates.
When a recipe states that water should be added, it often means tap water.
Tap water is subject to ongoing extensive control and can therefore be considered clean.
Saltwater
Saltwater or seawater is known from the sea around us, where there is typically a lot of salt dissolved in the water.
In the process of salting, the water is boiled away so that the salt can be used in cooking. Especially Læsø is known for their salt in Denmark. Salt extracted from seawater can have an elevated sulfate content, resulting in a slightly bitter aftertaste.
In the kitchen, we typically use saltwater from the sea to boil shellfish.
Demineralized Water
Demineralized water has had some of the minerals normally found in water removed through a process. Typically, a process is used where the minerals are ion-exchanged away.
Demineralized water is often used to fill irons and the like and is not suitable for drinking, partly because it has a “flat” taste and partly because it is not made for the purpose and is therefore not subject to control for bacteria or the like.
Distilled Water
Distilled water is made by bringing water to a certain temperature and pressure, causing it to evaporate over another container where it is collected. Distilled water thus has practically no mineral content.
Distilled water is used for sterilization in steam autoclaves and in laboratories.
Spring Water
The term spring water, in principle, covers water that comes from natural spring sources.
The water comes from the upper aquifers in the ground, i.e., water reservoirs, which have less protection against surface pollution than tap water, which is drawn from deeper reservoirs.
Today, however, it has become such that all water sold in bottles is called spring water.
Spring water has a limited shelf life due to the possibilities of bacterial growth. At the same time, bottled water is a significant environmental burden due to the environmental costs of production and disposal of packaging and transport.
Most bottled water in Denmark comes from one of about 10 wells near Brande and is thus practically the same as the water that comes out of the taps in the area.
Bottled water is subject to the food authorities and therefore significantly less controlled than tap water.