6 Things Your Water Needs (That You Didn’t Know)
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, human bodies are made up of approximately 60 percent water. Every day, our bodies must consume water in order to survive and function properly. Below explains six things that your drinking water needs that you probably know about.
Community Water System Treatment
According to the Center for Diseases Controls and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. has one of the safest public drinking systems in the world. Community water treatment and processing centers perform critical procedures that provide the public with healthy water. The CDC notes that treatment facilities are able to eliminate potential disease outbreaks through killing bacteria such as Salmonella, Hepatitis A and E.coli.
Fluoridation
Water that contains fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces tooth decay. Fluoride is a naturally occurring chemical that most cities add to their water. Experts say that adding fluoride to water is the most cost-effective way to improve people’s oral health. This is because fluoride causes the teeth to naturally remineralize. This means that fluoride reverses the tooth decay process and helps teeth grow stronger.
Alkaline pH Balance
Healthy water must have the right pH balance. Experts recommend between 7.5 to 9.5 pH for drinking water. Water with a high pH level will result in higher levels of acid that produce poor digestion, weight gain and even aches and pains. Don’t forget that pH level changes will impact how other chemicals dissolve and interact with each other.
Minerals
All naturally occurring potable water contains certain minerals, such as calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium. These minerals are very beneficial for health and are more easily absorbed into the body. However, during the piping and distribution process, these minerals can disappear. Therefore, the more helpful minerals that drinking water has, the more health benefits you will experience.
Filtering
Drinking water requires proper filtering in order to be potable. Ideally, water filtration systems will use all three types of filtering, which are sediment, carbon and membrane filtering. Sediment filtering removes dirt and silt. Carbon filtering removes chlorine and certain chemicals. Membrane filtering removes harmful metals, bacteria and pharmaceuticals in the water. Proper filtering not only ensures that the water is clean, but that it will support proper organ and body functioning. This is because if the chemicals in the water are slightly unbalanced, the body’s cells won’t be able to properly function.
A Localized Report
Luckily, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers a handy online tool that allows citizens to find annual reports on the quality of their local public drinking water. This will ensure that people are informed and up-to-date of any health concerns about their water.
In short, healthy drinking water has the right amount of minerals, nutrients and pH levels. Public treatment facilities, filtration systems and EPA water quality reports will ensure that people have access to the best possible quality of water.