Distilled water shortage and pricing

Just my current rant:

I use bottled distilled water in a CPAP machine and have had to stock up when I find it on supermarket shelves because there’s been a shortage for more than a year. Sometimes there’s none available at all. The other day my local Albertson’s had it available. Not at 99¢ or $1.29 as usual, but $2.99. It’s not a lot in dollars but is a 200% increase. I suppose I should be happy to find it at all. Have to wonder if this has happened with baby formula.

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Have you considered a ZeroWater filter? A properly functioning one can remove all TDS from your tap water, and depending on how hard your water is, can be a very cost effective alternative.

What I have found is a wide range of pricing. The same water bottle brand and same everything… the price can be different by 2-3 folds from two stores which are 10 min apart.

Do yo like it? I heard people think it is too clean.

I love it… been using it for about two years (prior to which I always bought bottled water). My tap water is usually under 30PPM TDS so a $13 filter provides about 6+ months of water.

Ice is clearer, and I think the taste is excellent (even use it for cooking as cost is negligible). Even recommended to my brother whose wife hates filtered water and she thought it was great.

About being too clean… yup, it removes desirable minerals as well, but taste is very good.

So you’ve been using it your CPAP?

Thanks. Yeah, it is very cheap at that rate

Price is still in the $1.29 range near me but there does seems to be a supply issue. We can find it but sometimes only a few bottles at a time.

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I would love to use a filter rather than buying, storing, recycling plastic bottles but wonder how well one would work in the long run for people using distilled for reasons outside of cooking and drinking. The filters have to be replaced so I imagine they are not working as effectively as you get closer to their useful life. That is not so much an issue if you are just drinking it but might cause problems when using it in chemical applications or for use in something like a CPAP machine. I am looking into it right now and trying to find info from a reliable source. A source that is not just trying to sell me filters.

No, but my understanding for these devices is to avoid mineral content so build up does not exist in the evaporator. Same for autoclaves. Zero TDS means no minerals, and I have seen a number of folks that use these filters for water used in autoclaves.

You are correct, but the ZW devices come with a TDS meter, and they recommend filter replacement at 6 PPM, but you could always replace it if it reads higher than zero. Again, depending on how hard your water is defines how cost effective this method would be.

I would think there are a number of places online (or ask your doctor) to discuss the efficacy of ZW vs distilled.

I use quite a bit of distilled water, not for cooking or drinking, but as a coolant for my cars when I go racing at the track.

Instead of always buying gallons of the stuff, I started making it at home. It’s not as hard, nor expensive, as I had imagined.

Just something to keep in mind if you are having problems sourcing it at retail locations.

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Thanks for all this. A Zero Water filter sounds like an option, but really only as a backup if distilled truly is unavailable. Even at $2.99 a gallon, I’m only spending 1/2¢ a day as I use very little. My curmudgeonly issue was the increase in price.

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Gotcha. Thanks.

Since it’s a medical appliance I’m not comfortable giving an opinion.

That would be my concern as well, although the video on using Zero Water as a backup source for autoclaves is encouraging. I may ask my pulmonologist at my next appointment, but he may not be comfortable answering for the same reason.

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Wise idea. I google without finding much help. Btw, I haven’t paid attention of the price of distilled water but don’t see it often on the shelf often at my market.

$3 vs $1 for a 2 month supply is not an expense I’m concerned about. But distilled water is distilled water. I have no idea how one gallon could be worth 3 times another. It’s curious but not a hill to die on.

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Before the pandemic I was buying distilled water to steam some of my office jackets. Now I rarely see it on the shelf. It’s always sold out.

Yeah, I can see why distilled is best for you. Lime scale would mess that thing up. I bet you could distill your own. Seems pretty easy.

https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/save-money-on-distilled-water-5-easy-steps-to-make-it-yourself/#:~:text=The%20process%20of%20distilling%20is,condensed%20liquid%20is%20distilled%20water.