Editor’s Note: Recently, we carried an article on water consumption that raised a number of questions from our readers. This article is a follow-up to that original article and explores the topic in more depth. Thank you for reading.
By Dave Warner
For poet and author Henry David Thoreau, the whole subject of hydration seemed a simple matter.
“I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man,” he once wrote. Of course Thoreau lived in a far simpler time when it came to water – he died in 1862, way before the advent of water in bottles, water in plastic bottles, water with vitamins, and water that is run through filtering systems either in a plant or at home.
In his time, it was just water.
You may have read on this site previously many of the water basics. A brief recap before we tackle some other water issues – many of which were raised by readers:
- Do you really need 8 glasses of water a day? Experts talk nowadays about 13 cups a day for men, and 9 cups for women. But if that seems like a lot, just remember the key is the urine test – it should be the color of lemonade. If it’s darker, like apple juice, you probably need more fluid.
- If it’s hot or you’re working out, you probably need more water than the norm.
- Alcohol can tend to dehydrate you, but you tend to retain water in coffee, tea and soft drinks.
- And yes, it’s possible to drink too much water, as some marathoners have proved. It can cause something called hyponatremia, which can cause confusion, disorientation, weakness and nausea.
Indeed, when it comes to the 8 glasses, with 8 ounces in each glass, recommendation it seems unclear where that even originated. That’s according to an editorial in the American Society of Nephrology, which is that branch of medicine that deals with the kidneys.
Now, we get to those questions Thoreau never had to deal with, starting with tap water, or bottled water?
Each has its advocates and its advantages and disadvantages. To clarify some of those issues, let’s turn to Zane Satterfield, engineering scientist at the National Environmental Services Center at West Virginia University.
“Before 12 years ago, I always thought bottled water was the way to go,” he said. But then he began working for a state agency, and he changed his mind, mainly because he learned that public water systems are tightly regulated, falling under the scrutiny of the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Bottled water is also regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because it falls under the category of packaged food products.
He now likes municipal supplies better, because of what he calls the residual disinfectant – typically chlorine – that remains in the water.
“Some people hate it for that,” he said, because they believe it impacts the taste of the water. But he is reassured by it.
He also said tap water contains the two ingredients that many think give water its appealing taste – iron and manganese. In fact, he said, companies that provide bottled water that is run through a process called reverse osmosis learned they had to add those ingredients back into the water to improve the taste.
Some bottled water is distilled, and that, Satterfield believes, leads to a bland taste.
Another water issue is one that has been part of the water debate in the United State for decades – the addition of fluoride to municipal systems. He said just over half of our public water supplies contain fluoride, but that tends to be regional. He said, for instance, that very few systems in California contain the ingredient that many believe is good for reducing tooth decay and promoting oral health.
But some, Satterfield noted, think they would like to make their own choices about that, and not have the government automatically add it to drinking water supplies.
When it comes to bottled water, some have wondered too if the polyethylene in the plastic can be harmful. Satterfield that subject has been studied, but the results are inconclusive.
He said it is true that the substance can leach into bottled water if it is, say, left in a hot car for a long period, but the most he could say about that now, based on the studies, is “it could be a long term impact.”
The biggest argument he can make for bottled water is that it is convenient. “It is just the convenience factor,” he said.
There is no denying the popularity of bottled water in the United States. Figures from the Beverage Marketing Corp. show that the industry produced 8.7 billion gallons of bottled water in 2010, recovering from a recession-slump earlier in the decade. We spent $10.6 billion on those bottles last year, and the per capita consumption reached 28.3 gallons for each one of us.
Still, obviously millions of us prefer tap water too. So, if you end up believing you want to depend on the tap water in your home, should you invest in a filtering system?
Satterfield says that basically, they work – both the type that filter the water as you pour it into a special container, and the type that you can have installed under your sink. He cautions, though, that the under-the-counter type can cost hundreds of dollars.
Both systems, he said, remove some contaminants out of your drinking water, as can water softening systems.
When it comes to getting your daily drinks of water, Satterfield advised, don’t do it first thing in the morning when contaminants from municipal pipes, and the pipes in your home, can build up over night. His advice: take a shower first, and let the water run through the pipes before you take that first gulp.
Other experts have also addressed another issue you face every time you buy bottled water – vitamin water. You can see it in every convenience store and every supermarket. So, should you be drinking it?
Ask yourself if you really need the extra vitamins. And perhaps the extra calories – typically 50 per bottle -- that go with those types of water. Check the label for what’s in it before you buy. These drinks, while often tasty, are not necessary for proper hydration and can add a lot of hidden calories to your day.
You can check the label too to see exactly what type of bottled water you’re buying. Here are the main types of bottled water, as spelled out by the FDA:
- Artesian, ground, spring or well water – in other words, water that comes from an underground aquifer that may or may not be treated.
- Distilled water, in which water is boiled, and the steam is recondensed and bottled.
- Drinking water, which is water intended for humans (it could be tap water, Satterfield said) and may also contain fluoride.
- Purified, which is water that has been treated, often by distillation or reverse osmosis.
- Sterile, which is water that is free from all microbes.
A group called the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, which looks at ecological issues, has a different take on bottled water, or, more to the point, on the bottles the water comes in.
The group touts a survey that shows that 14 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada have eliminated bottled water on campus, instead providing water bottles that each student can fill at a drinking fountain or tap. The association views bottled water as a waste issue, said Paul Rowland, the executive director of the Denver-based group.
That is an issue that also concerns the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The department said it is by far cheaper – bottled water can cost $10 per gallon, while tap water costs less than 1 cent per gallon – to get water from a fountain or a tap. The department also said a mere 10 per cent of those plastic bottles are recycled.
The International Bottled Water Association sees the issue differently. It says if you take the water bottled off campus, chances are people will turn to other, less healthy drinks, like soda or juice, according to a spokesman.
“Our big issue is having a choice,” he said.
“We don’t have a problem with people drinking tap water.”
Key Takeaways:
- The exact number of cups of water you need per day depends on your activity level and food consumption. Use the urine test to determine if you need more fluid.
- Bottled water has is not necessarily better than tap water, but it is convenient. Just make sure to recycle those bottles.
- Tap water is typically safe and cheaper, not to mention better for the environment. In fact, some people prefer the taste. Not all tap water is fluorinated.
- Vitamin water is not necessary for proper hydration and if you are eating well, not necessary for nutrition either. It can also be a source of hidden calories.
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