Raw water
Raw water is natural water found in the environment and has not been treated, nor have any minerals, ions, particles or living organisms removed. Raw water includes rainwater, ground water, water from infiltration wells, and water from bodies like lakes and rivers. The characteristics of raw water include physical ones, such as taste, temperature, or turbidity, chemical ones, such as hardness, acidity/alkalinity, and ion content, and biological ones, such as organism presences. These characteristics can vary greatly depending on environmental conditions. Pollution can also effect raw water content.