Does distilled water last longer?

Water has no use buy date. Just make sure your dad knows that if you boil distilled water, you need to put something in it so you can tell when it reaches boiling point. Water bubbles when boiling due to the impurities in it, distilled water has no impurities so it doesn't bubble and when you put something in it it will instantly bubble rapidly which means it can spray out of the pot and scald people. Putting a couple of small stones in the water before boiling will do the trick, then you just remove the stone before pouring. You could also use some salt or sugar, depending on what you want to use the water for.

EDIT: Jim, you didn't do ANY chemistry did you? Boiling chips are required when using distilled water. Doesn't surprise me to see you just assume that you are correct rather than looking up something to verify it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=1...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAqqpDF4bVw

(I removed my first paragraph, as you obviously know the difference between spring and distilled water)

I think storage would play a part. If exposed to light during storage, algaes may form in spring water. I'm not sure how distilled water would fare, as it's been converted to steam and then condensed back down into liquid form.

Added: there is also the issue of storage medium. I don't know the current science about plastic bottles leaching into contents (is BPA still a baddy? I seem to recall seeing a few things saying it isn't regarded as so bad any more). Nevertheless, I would prefer any long-term stored water to be in glass bottles.

And taste-wise, distilled water is "flat" and has a lifeless taste, but I don't suppose you'd worry about that in the event of a disaster.

Sunlight kills chlorine residual in tap water. I doubt distilled water will last longer than mineral water.

Miox will be useful in emergencies it will treat 200 liters that’s more water than you can store. It will also treat water that has been stored to long. I think most times tap water will last longer if it is kept in a dark cool place due to the chlorine residual. Purified water sometimes has fewer impurities than distilled water that you buy from a store.

This is what I recommend for emergencies.

Waterwise 1600

Miox

camping filters

Water wise make auto distillers but when the power goes out the water you have depends on the size of your reservoir.

Distilled water will last longer because Spring water tastes better. Therefore, the spring water will be drank before the distilled water is.

Water is water. Distilled just means that is only just pure water throught the process of distillation, meaning there isn't all that antioxidants or fluorine put into the water, it is just water. Either way though it doesn't affect how long it last. The other water will still last just as long.

Read the answer by Gas By Fannylight - dont underestimate the danger of boiling distilled water without boiling chips of some kind. It is very very dangerous - as is putting them in later if you forget.

Its very basic laboratory practice

Distilled water, if the distilling process definitely involves boiling, has one distinct advantage: it has no bio-organic contaminants that could cause spoilage.

Gas, that sounds like an old wives tale to me. Of course distilled water will boil though I can't say I remember doing it. This is one that I am just going to have to stick my neck out on and call BS.

No.