PURPOSE: To omit labor for the disposal of initial drinking water before the start of operation by a method wherein the water suction pipe of a raw water supply apparatus is allowed to communicate with the extraction hole of a drinking water storage container and a cut-off valve is changed to return the drinking water remaining on the way of a route and in a drinking water lead-out pipe to pass the same through an extraction cartridge.

CONSTITUTION: A return pipe 77 is provided on the way of the water guide pipe 45, which connects the drain port part 31 provided to the lower part of the chamber 26A packed with a mineral-containing stone bed 32 and a fiber bed 33 of an extraction cartridge 5 to the extract ion hole 69A of a mineral water storage container 7, through a cut-off valve 78 and branched from the water guide pipe 45 to be opened to the upper surface of the water receiving tray 8 of a raw water supply container 6. When this drinking water making apparatus is not used for a long period of time, the drinking water remaining on the way of the route and in the drinking water lead-out pipe is returned to the raw water supply container through the return pipe by changing the opening and closing of the cut-off valve and passed through the extraction cartridge to be regenerated.