August is Water Quality Month

August is full of unusual “holidays,” including National Catfish Month, National Picnic Month, Peach Month, Water Quality Month, Family Fun Month, and Admit Your Happy Month! Because many of us are suffering from an unusually hot summer, this week I want to focus on Water Quality Month.

While there are many beverages that can quench our thirst, and there are times when we benefit from beverages such as juices, sports drinks, milk, etc. (such as after a hard workout), as well as times when we just want something with flavor to drink, our bodies still need some plain water to help flush out waste products that are formed throughout the day.

I often get asked “How much water should I drink?” The answer is “it depends.” On days that you exercise, you will need to drink more water depending on how much you sweat (see my earlier blog on “Do You Know Your Sweat Rate?”). A good rule of thumb, in general, is to drink until your urine is almost clear (like the color of lemonade as opposed to the color of apple juice).

The next question I usually get asked is “Should I drink bottled water or is tap o.k.?” Now this depends on where your water comes from. The safety and flavor of water will vary from source to source due to different levels of contaminants and naturally occurring minerals (such as calcium, iron, etc, in “hard” water) and whether your water comes from a private well or a public water supplier. If you get your water from a public water company, you can access its water-quality or consumer-confidence report from the local water utility. You can also get more information by calling the EPA's toll-free Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791, or visit their website. The website Campaign for Safe and Affordable Drinking Water also has fact sheets to help you understand these reports.

If your water comes from a private well, you can have it tested. Call your local health department for recommendations or visit the EPA’s website for a listing of certification officers.

Even if your water is safe, many people just don’t like the taste of tap water. You can always filter it to eliminate those “unsavory” flavors, as well as eliminate some potential contaminants. You can either purchase a pitcher that has a filter on it, attach a filter to your faucet, have one mounted under your sink, or even have one that filters water as it comes to your home. If you choose to purchase a filter, make sure it is approved by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL), or the Water Quality Association.

If you turn to bottled water for safety, keep in mind that bottled water is often just filtered tap water, so it may not be any “safer,” particularly because in the process of bottling water, there is now another source of potential contamination if good manufacturing processes are not followed. Purchasing bottled water also has a huge toll on the environment. According to the Earth Policy Institute, it takes about 17 million barrels of oil to produce the amount of bottles needed to meet the United State’s demand for bottled water. That’s enough fuel to run over a million cars for a year. There is also the question of how safe those plastic bottles holding water really are. If you absolutely have to buy bottled water, look for the brands that have the NSF certification.

What about carrying water around? Try to store your water in metal canteens or glass. If you have to use plastic, avoid bottles made with BPA, and make sure you don’t leave water sitting in plastic bottles at high temperatures, such as in your car in 105-degree heat! High temperatures may cause “leaching” of chemicals in the plastic into your water.