Ask HN: Is it safe to drink tap water or R/O water better?
The vast majority of water in the US is safe to drink straight from the tap.  Each local government has different quality standards but all are supposed to meet the federal guidance as a bare minimum.  Depending on their source of water too they may add different minerals or chemicals to treat the water.   Yes, the U.S. has had stupidity like Flint, but I&#x27;d call that an exception to what is otherwise quite a safe system as a whole.<p>Is R&#x2F;O better?  Depends on your definition of better, but R&#x2F;O is obviously very clean and safe to drink, although I have heard some people say they don&#x27;t like the taste or &quot;how&quot; it feels.  R&#x2F;O removes a lot of the minerals so it does taste different for sure.  Some people can&#x27;t stand their water to be hard and some don&#x27;t like soft water, so I think that is preference for many people.