Water Filtration & Hydration
Is Filtered Water Actually Better for You?
Water is essential to everyday life, but not all drinking water tastes, smells or looks exactly the same. That leads to a common question: is filtered water actually better for you?
The answer is more nuanced than some water filtration marketing might suggest.
Filtered water isn't necessarily absorbed by your body more effectively than ordinary tap water, and properly treated tap water shouldn't automatically be considered "bad" simply because it contains chlorine. What filtration can do is reduce particular substances from your water, depending on the filtration system being used, while potentially improving taste, odour and the overall drinking experience.
The Short Answer
Filtered water isn't automatically "healthier" or more easily absorbed by your body. The benefits depend on what is in your incoming water, what you want to reduce and which filtration technology you use. For many people, one of the most noticeable benefits is simply water that tastes and smells more pleasant to drink.
In This Guide
Why Is Chlorine Added to Tap Water?
Let's start with something important: chlorine in drinking water isn't simply a contaminant that shouldn't be there.
Chlorine is widely used in drinking-water treatment as a disinfectant. A residual amount may remain in the distribution system to help protect against microbial recontamination and limit microbial growth as treated water travels to consumers.
That's an important function of water treatment.
So why might someone choose to filter chlorinated drinking water?
One of the most straightforward reasons is taste and odour. The World Health Organization notes that most individuals can taste or smell chlorine at concentrations below its health-based guideline value, with some people able to detect it at levels as low as approximately 0.3 mg/L.
Research has also identified chlorine flavour as one of the reasons some consumers choose alternatives to tap water.
Important: Filtering chlorine from drinking water doesn't mean chlorine has no useful purpose. Chlorination plays an important role in water treatment. Point-of-use filtration simply gives people the option to reduce residual chlorine and other specified substances after the water reaches their home or workplace.
Research: World Health Organization – Chlorine in drinking water | Published research on chlorine flavour and drinking-water preferences
What Does a Water Filter Actually Do?
This is where it's important not to treat every water filter as though it does the same thing.
Different filtration systems are designed to reduce different substances.
Depending on the filtration technology and media being used, a system may be designed to reduce substances such as chlorine, sediment or particular contaminants. More specialised filtration systems may target additional substances.
That's why choosing a filter should start with a different question:
What do you actually want to improve about your water?
Someone wanting to improve the taste of their everyday drinking water may need a very different solution from someone specifically interested in fluoride reduction, or someone wanting filtration throughout their entire home.
If you're unsure where to begin, our Improve Your Water Quality guide can help you explore the different types of water solutions available.
What If You Want to Reduce Something Specific, Such as Fluoride?
This is a good example of why the filtration technology matters.
A standard drinking-water filter isn't necessarily designed to reduce fluoride. If fluoride reduction is your goal, you need a filtration solution specifically suited to that purpose.
Awesome Water offers a range of fluoride reduction water filters and filtration systems, including options for different installation types and household requirements.
For example, the Awesome Water Ceramic Fluoride Dome Filter is designed as an additional fluoride-reduction stage for compatible Awesome Water filtration systems.
The important point is that filter selection should be based on what the particular filtration system is designed to reduce, rather than assuming every filter provides the same performance.
Myth vs Fact
Is Filtered Water Easier for Your Body to Absorb?
This is a claim worth clearing up.
There isn't good evidence that ordinary filtered water is inherently easier for the human body to absorb than appropriately treated tap water simply because substances such as residual chlorine have been reduced.
Your digestive system is already highly effective at absorbing water.
That's why we don't believe in telling customers that ordinary water somehow becomes "more absorbable" simply because it passes through a filter without good evidence to support that claim.
The potential connection between filtration and hydration is more practical — and, we think, more useful.
Can Filtered Water Help You Stay Hydrated?
Good hydration ultimately depends on consuming enough fluid for your individual needs.
Where filtration can make a practical difference is the drinking experience.
Taste, odour and appearance all influence whether drinking water is acceptable and enjoyable to consumers. If you don't particularly enjoy the taste or smell of your tap water, reducing an undesirable taste or odour may make your everyday drinking water more pleasant.
Rather than claiming that filtered water hydrates your body differently, we prefer to put it this way:
Good-tasting water can make maintaining your everyday hydration routine more enjoyable.
Having filtered water conveniently available at home or work — whether through a drinking-water filtration system, an under-sink water filter or an Awesome Water cooler — can also make reaching for water throughout the day simple and convenient.
Taking Your Hydration Routine Further
Drinking enough water is the foundation of hydration.
For people interested in building a more complete everyday hydration routine, Awesome Water also offers the Ultimate Hydration System, which brings together complementary products centred around drinking water and hydration.
The important distinction is that no specialised water product or supplement replaces the fundamentals of consuming enough fluid for your individual needs.
Quality drinking water. Convenient access. A consistent hydration routine.
What About Molecular Hydrogen Water?
Hydrogen-rich water has attracted increasing scientific interest.
Molecular hydrogen (H2) can be dissolved in water, creating what is commonly referred to as hydrogen-rich or hydrogen-infused water.
Researchers have investigated molecular hydrogen in a range of health-related areas. However, this is also an area where marketing claims can easily get ahead of the evidence.
A 2024 systematic review examining hydrogen-rich water described preliminary findings as encouraging while also concluding that larger studies with more rigorous methodologies are needed to substantiate potential benefits.
Our approach: We regard molecular hydrogen as an interesting and emerging area of research. We don't believe emerging findings should be presented as established medical or health outcomes.
For people interested in incorporating molecular hydrogen into their routine, Awesome Water H2 Molecular Hydrogen Tablets provide a convenient option for preparing hydrogen-infused water.
They should complement — not replace — good everyday hydration habits.
Research: Hydrogen Water: Extra Healthy or a Hoax? — A Systematic Review
Drinking Water Isn't the Only Water You Use Every Day
Most conversations about filtration focus on the water we drink.
But water also comes into regular contact with your skin and hair whenever you shower.
That raises another common question:
Can filtering your shower water be beneficial?
This is another area where it's important to separate reasonable claims from exaggerated ones.
Researchers have investigated relationships between water characteristics and skin-barrier function. For example, a systematic review and meta-analysis found an association between harder domestic water and atopic eczema in children, although the certainty of the observational evidence was rated very low.
Importantly, randomised controlled trials included in that review did not show that domestic water softeners improved the objective severity of established atopic eczema.
A shower filter is also not necessarily a water softener. These technologies can serve different purposes.
For that reason, we wouldn't claim that installing a shower filter will treat eczema, cure dry skin or resolve a particular medical skin condition.
What an appropriate shower filter can do is reduce the particular substances it is designed to target.
If you'd like to understand the subject in more detail, read our guide: Do You Need a Shower Filter?
You can also explore Awesome Water shower filtration options for products designed for point-of-use shower filtration.
Research: Systematic review and meta-analysis of water hardness, atopic eczema and skin-barrier function
So, Is Filtered Water Better for You?
There isn't a universal yes-or-no answer.
And that's probably the most important point.
Filtered water isn't magically transformed into water that your body can absorb more efficiently. Instead, the practical benefits depend on:
- what's in your incoming water
- what you want to reduce
- the filtration technology you're using
- where you're using the water
- what you want your water system to achieve.
For one household, the priority might simply be reducing chlorine taste and odour from drinking water.
Another may want specialised fluoride reduction. Someone else may want filtration throughout their entire home.
A caravan owner may need a practical filtration solution while travelling, while an office might prioritise convenient access to chilled filtered water.
There isn't one filtration solution that's right for everyone.
Choosing the Right Water Filtration System
That's why Awesome Water offers different filtration solutions rather than trying to make one system fit every customer.
Drinking Water Filters
Explore Awesome Water drinking-water filters for a range of everyday filtration options.
Under-Sink Water Filtration
An under-sink water filtration system provides convenient filtered drinking water directly in the kitchen while keeping the filtration equipment below the benchtop.
Water Coolers & Purifiers
Awesome Water coolers provide convenient water options for homes, offices and workplaces.
Whole House Filtration
For customers wanting filtration at the point where water enters the property, explore our whole house water filtration systems.
Fluoride Reduction
If reducing fluoride is one of your priorities, compare our fluoride reduction water filters designed for different filtration requirements.
Shower Filtration
Explore shower filtration systems for point-of-use filtration of shower water.
Caravan & RV Water Filtration
Travelling? Our caravan and RV water filtration range includes practical filtration options for life on the road.
The Bottom Line
So, is filtered water better for you?
It depends on what you mean by "better".
There isn't good evidence that simply filtering ordinary tap water makes it inherently easier for your body to absorb.
But the right filtration system can reduce the particular substances it is designed to target, potentially improve taste and odour, and provide a drinking-water experience that you may prefer.
And if you enjoy your water and have convenient access to it, maintaining a regular hydration routine can feel a whole lot easier.
The goal isn't choosing the most complicated filtration system. It's choosing the right system for your water, your household and your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is filtered water easier for your body to absorb?
There isn't good evidence that ordinary filtered water is inherently absorbed more efficiently than appropriately treated tap water simply because substances such as residual chlorine have been reduced. The practical benefits of filtration depend on the substances being reduced and the filtration system being used.
Why filter chlorine if it is used to disinfect drinking water?
Chlorine plays an important role in drinking-water treatment and distribution. However, residual chlorine can affect the taste or smell of drinking water for some people. An appropriate point-of-use filter can reduce residual chlorine after treated water reaches your home.
Does every water filter remove fluoride?
No. Different filters use different technologies and media, and standard filtration doesn't necessarily provide fluoride reduction. If reducing fluoride is your goal, choose a system specifically designed for fluoride reduction.
Does a shower filter soften hard water?
Not necessarily. Shower filtration and water softening are different processes. A shower filter should be selected according to the substances the particular filter is designed to reduce.
How do I know which water filter I need?
Start by considering what you want to change about your water, where you want the filtration to occur, how much water you use and your preferred installation type. You can explore our water quality and filtration guide or contact Awesome Water for help comparing suitable options.
Not Sure Which Water Solution Is Right for You?
Awesome Water has been helping Australian homes and businesses with practical water solutions since 2011.
Rather than simply recommending the biggest or most expensive system, our team can help you consider what you actually want from your water and which filtration option is appropriate for your needs.
Need personal advice? Call 1800 886 819 or contact Awesome Water.
A Note About the Science
This article provides general educational information and is not medical advice. Water quality varies by location, and filtration performance depends on the particular system, filter media, operating conditions and water being treated. Health-related research, particularly research into molecular hydrogen, continues to develop. Awesome Water recommends reviewing the specifications of individual filtration products and seeking appropriate professional or medical advice where required.