Is it just minerals/other impurities in the water?
In: Chemistry
Pretty much any dissolved solids. Salts, mostly. As the water boils off, these solids become more and more concentrated in the water until it can no longer hold them all and they precipitate into a solid.
The technical term for this is “Total Dissolved solids” (this assumes the water went through a filter at some point to strain out any sediment or fish or whatever, but in tap water it you _should_ be just getting dissolved stuff).
Exactly what makes up TDS in your water varies from region to region, but it’s usually calcium and magnesium and carbonates. Calcium/magnesium carbonate is the most common source of “white stuff”. It also makes for “hard water”. There may be more sodium and chloride if you are close to the ocean and getting a teeny bit of seawater inflow. Sulfides are common in well water in some areas…you will usually smell them if they are present.
All in all, this stuff isn’t harmful unless there’s a huge amount of it…honestly it’s probably a net benefit to get a bit of calcium and magnesium from your water. Straight up totally pure water also tends not to taste great.
>Is it just minerals/other impurities in the water?
Yes. Your tap water is going to contain traces of minerals from whatever river or lake or underground aquifer it comes from even after going through something like a town’s water treatment facilities. Actually perfectly pure water is, surprisingly enough, incredibly toxic in a weird way.
Chemical deposits from the “hard Hoosier water.” I got sick and tired of cleaning my goose neck kettle once a week so I resorted to purchasing gallons of distilled water. Nary a chemical deposit to be found. And just recycle the jugs. Drink coffee and repeat.
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