3 Things You Didn’t Know About Water

Water is all around us. Much of our planet is made up of water, and we need water to survive. Despite these factors, there are still many things the average person doesn’t know about water. These factors are important to know for water preservation and healthy water consumption. Read this article for three things you didn’t know about water.

It’s Not As Available As You Think

If you walk into your local grocery store, you can quickly find the water bottle section. Your store may even offer water jugs for your water dispenser at home. This in itself is a luxury, because safe drinking water isn’t as available as you may believe. In fact, one in three people all across the world don’t have access to safe drinking water. Despite most of the planet being covered in water, we can only use about 1% of it for drinking purposes.

With this in mind, be sure to make healthy water consumption choices. Don’t let water wastefully run when you’re showering or brushing your teeth. Since much of our country’s water goes to agriculture and farming, make healthy choices by shopping locally and organically. Organic farms use water preservation methods to cut down on wasteful water consumption.

Where It Comes From

Do you know where the water you’re drinking came from? Most people don’t question how their water makes it to their homes or where their favorite water brand gets its water supply. The truth is that there are various water sources. Below are a few:

Surface water
Groundwater
Stormwater
Wastewater
Saltwater
Icecap water

Surface water is the source of the majority of our drinking water. In fact, it’s the safest and healthiest water we can consume in comparison to the other sources. Surface water includes water from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands.

Water Intoxication Can Happen

Our bodies are made up of more than 75% of water, so we obviously need water to survive. The suggested water consumption is about eight to 10 glasses a day. However, drinking water can be lethal by water intoxication. This happens when an individual goes through strenuous training or exercising and decides to overhydrate by drinking mass amounts of water. This overload can cause the water in their blood to increase. This is followed by the dilution of electrolytes, especially sodium, in their blood. Sodium maintains the fluids within and outside our cells. When sodium levels decrease as a result of drinking excessive water, this can lead to the cells swelling. The swelling of brain cells can then be lethal.

When you’re exercising or training, it’s important to hydrate yourself safely. Drink seven to 10 ounces of water for every 10 to 20 minutes of exercise.

The things you didn’t know about water tend to be the most important factors about it. Being informed about water is necessary to make safe, healthy, responsible water consumption choices.