When you hear the term “raw water” it’s confusing, right? How can water be raw, and what is the raw water trend all about?

First, to understand what it is, you should know that raw water refers to water that has not been treated and is found in the environment. This means that it contains all of the bacteria, parasites, minerals, and irons, which would otherwise be removed by treated or filtered water. This water can be found in the form of lakes and rivers, rainwater and groundwater, and the likes, and for some reason, it’s become a bit of a health trend, with people being urged to embrace what’s provided naturally.

The idea is to benefit from the minerals that would otherwise be removed by treated water, and by doing this, you supposedly get a bunch of health benefits, which could include anything from claims of plumper skin, to more nutrition. But is drinking this water good for you? And more importantly, is it safe?

The simple answer is no.

This trend has been around for several years but recently got a surge of interest after companies around Silicon Valley started bottling this “raw” water, that, and a New York Times profile in December of 2017, which shared insight on this movement. According to Time, although the water system in the United States could do with improvement, it has significantly benefited public health; water-borne illnesses such typhoid fever and cholera were eliminated — the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) praised the water chlorination and treatment process as being one of ten “greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.”

Drinking untreated water could result in people exposing themselves to these illnesses again. This is a thought Vince Hill, chief of the CDC’s Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, shared with the publication, and he also added, “Anything you can think of can be in untreated water, really.”

Still not sure about whether or not you want to try the “raw water” trend? Well then maybe you need to look at a few microscopic images of parasites found in unfiltered water, and then make up your mind.

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