Question:
I know we've had these topics before, but I'd like to ask forsuggestions for a good filter so I can have decent water for tea. I'verecently taken a job for the summer in Iowa, far away from my home inColorado. The water here is filtered water from a lake, and produces alight film whenever I boil it, and when it cools, black particles fallout of the water (precipitate).So, I would be very appreciative if anyone could recommend a goodfilter for dealing with this situation, especially if you've dealt withmidwest lake water before.I'm also considering bottled water, but I'm not getting paid all thatmuch...

Answer: At work I only use bottled spring water. I buy it in 1 gallon jugs for$0.50-0.75 cents each at any local supermarket. They last me a week orso. So I think even a homeless person could manage $2-3/month and thewater is great for tea. Just stay away from the distilled water, it'seasy to mistakenly grab the wrong jug.

At home I use either water from my Brita water filter, or I use springwater from my water dispenser that is 5-gallon spring water from thelocal water bottle distributer.

I'd definitely try to find a good seller of bottled spring water beforeconsidering a filter. My Brita filter produces water that really addsan intrusive bitterness to some teas, which probably explains why it'sbeen relegated to the store-room for now.

I've not come across spring water which was inordinately hard, but thenagain I'm English. Our tap water is unfathomably hard - you could boiloff the water and write with the chalk that's left! Bottled water is abig seller here.

I forgot to mention in my post that I would place water from my Britalast in my list, and I usually will use tap water over it. I do agreewith you Hobbes. I also can't stomach tea brewed using Aquafina bottledwater, while it is my favorite bottled water, it does somethinghorrible to tea. I had thought it would be good since it is a reverseosmosis water, and a favorite water of mine, and ruined a pot of fairlyexpensive rare tea. Never again. I did have a cup of tea brewed in Vossbottled water (some overpriced water from somewhere in the world) at acoffee shop because it was an option and only like $0.50 more thanregular, and it was very good for tea.