S/h water question

[vcuchick]

After my repotting into S/H I am no longer using tap water because here in Fairfax, VA we get Potomac River water and it's very hard with lots of disolved solids (that just sounds gross...) so I've starting getting spring water and distilled water.

Here's my question- which is better? What do you experienced S/H growers prefer and recommend? Is spring water just as bad as tap?

My orchids grow at my office so a RO system is totally out of the question. (ha!)

[brookn]

I buy the drinking water from Wal Mart, it says it is "purified by reverse osmosis".

[vcuchick]

I looked at the gallon jug of distilled water I got at Giant Foods this morning- says "bottled and distilled by the Washington Urban Water Authority."

So evidently, I'm getting DC tap water....grreeeaaat.. :P

[jay]

Distilled water is still pure water. It is water that is evaporated to separate it from the solids then condensed back to pure water. You can use this just fine.

I would test the spring water with a TDS meter. Some spring water will be very low PPM, some will have high PPM reading. This will depend on what rocks and minerals are lining the spring.

I personally use R.O. water, but before I got my system I bought distilled water. My tap water registers over 250 PPM.

[syndywindy]

I've read that using R.O water is very good. What about collecting rain water?