Drink TO Your Health!

By D. J. Shannahan

President, CWS-VI, CCO, CI


In previous articles, I have discussed why residents of Delmarva should be concerned about their water quality, and what options you have for treatment. But what's so "magical" about water, especially given that pure H2O is odorless, colorless, and tasteless?

First, it is extremely rare to find any water supply on Delmarva that is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. Our well water typically has high levels of iron, tannins, and/or manganese that cause staining, hardness that causes scale build-up, low pH that causes corrosion, or hydrogen sulfide that causes a rotten egg smell. Although none of these contaminants may be harmful to your health, they cost you extra time and money cleaning, ruin pipes, fixtures, and appliances, and keep you from drinking the amount of water needed to keep your body hydrated. In addition to these secondary contaminants, we often find high nitrates, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), bacteria, arsenic, and other contaminants that may exceed the EPA's primary drinking water standards. Our city water and community supplied water commonly has the smell and taste of chlorine, high hardness, and possibly chlorine by-products like Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and chloroform which can cause cancer and complicate pregnancy.

All of these problems can be solved with the assistance of a local water treatment professional and a properly designed treatment system. When comparing companies, be sure you are dealing with a certified professional through the Water Quality Association, and a reputable company with experience treating water on Delmarva.

Now let's discuss the benefits of drinking plenty of high quality water. Recent research has shown the following:

75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that is often mistaken for hunger.
Even mild dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in
a University of Washington study.
Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue.
8-10 glasses of water per day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or a printed page.
Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, bladder cancer by 50%, and breast cancer by 79%!

If a pharmaceutical company were to introduce a new drug that could make all these claims, it might be the most successful product introduction in history. And yet we take our water for granted. It's always been here, and it will always be here as water can neither be created nor destroyed. But are we satisfied with our water quality, and are we drinking the amount of water that will help us live better lives? The choice is yours, but if you do nothing else different this New Year, make the decision to improve your water quality and drink to your health!

If you have questions or would like additional information, you may contact us at 1-800-439-3853 or visit us on the web at WWW.SHARPWATER.COM.