How Is Distilled Water Made?

This is a typical equipment set up for double distillation of water.
This is a typical equipment set up for double distillation of water. Guruleninn, Creative Commons
By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on February 05, 2019

You can find distilled water in stores and labs. Here's an explanation of what distilled water is and how it's made.

Process

Distilled water is water purified by boiling the water and collecting the steam. The steam is recovered by condensing the cleaner water vapor into a fresh container. The distillation process removes most impurities, so it is an effective method of water treatment.

Distilled Water for Drinking Water

Water distillation dates back at least to the time of Aristotle. It has been used to desalinate seawater since at least 200 AD, as outlined by Alexander of Aphrodisias. Drinking water usually is distilled twice or double distilled to ensure high purity. Double distilled water is so clean some researchers are concerned the water may cause health problems because it does not contain natural minerals and ions that are desirable in drinking water.

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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How Is Distilled Water Made?" ThoughtCo, Aug. 25, 2020, thoughtco.com/what-is-distilled-water-609411. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 25). How Is Distilled Water Made? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-distilled-water-609411 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How Is Distilled Water Made?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-distilled-water-609411 (accessed June 4, 2023).