Water dispensing apparatus and control method therefor

A water dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a source water pipe configured to receive water;
• a filter configured to generate purified water by filtering the water supplied through the source water pipe;
• a first water discharge nozzle configured to discharge the purified water that has passed through the filter;
• a sterilizing water module configured to receive the purified water that has passed through the filter and to generate sterilizing water from the received purified water;
• a sterilizing water pipe connected to the sterilizing water module and configured to provide the sterilizing water generated by the sterilizing water module to a user;
• a second water discharge nozzle disposed below the first water discharge nozzle and connected to the sterilizing water pipe, the second water discharge nozzle being configured to discharge the sterilizing water;
• a flow rate sensor disposed at the source water pipe;
• a power supply configured to apply a voltage to an electrode of the sterilizing water module;
• a current detector connected to the electrode of the sterilizing water module and configured to detect a current value output from the electrode of the sterilizing water module based on the voltage being applied to the electrode of the sterilizing water module;
• and
• a controller configured to set a target current value of the sterilizing water module and to change the target current value based on flow rate information detected by the flow rate sensor and the current value detected by the current detector,
• wherein the controller is configured to:
• based on a constant voltage being applied from the power supply to the electrode of the sterilizing water module, set a value associated with the current value as the target current value,
• predict a hardness of introduced water based on the current value detected by the current detector,
• decrease the target current value based on the hardness of the introduced water being greater than a reference hardness, and
• increase the target current value based on the hardness of the introduced water being less than or equal to the reference hardness.