TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2024 - WATER

 TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2025 - WATER

I remember canoeing with Boy Scout Troop 5 from Keokuk, Iowa.  We did a lot of canoeing - from canoeing down the Skunk River to Lake Red Rock.  I remember being able to dip a cup into the water and taking a drink.  In retrospect, I’m not sure it was okay to drink (I was only an assistant Scout Master, so I’m assuming Greg Redman and Buddy Barded had checked with the Iowa Department of Water Quality.  On the other side - none of use - scouts or leaders got dysentery or sick!!

Water quality is more difficulty today.  Upstream from all rivers and lakes are farmers.  These farmers put pesticides on their fields to keep the pests, they put fertilizers on their fields.  Nearby there are cattle and pigs - and their excrement also washes into the water.  Cities also add their sewage to the rivers - but hopefully after processing the sewage first.  Companies (especially chemical companies) dump various contaminates into the water supply as well.  

I’m not sure I want to dip my cup into the water and take a drink these days.  Campers can boil their water - which will kill (supposedly) the bacteria in the water.  You can also use Chlorine or iodine tablets.

Many of my relatives farms had wells - that generally were checked for quality.  [Aside, I remember drinking well water from Uncle Rob’s farm - and it tasted different - but it was good.].  Farmers also use ground water to irrigate crops.  (If you drive through Nebraska - where rainfall can be spotty - you will see the irrigation devices - putting water on the crops.

If you were a pioneer, you might find good water and bad water as you sought a homestead.  There are towns named “Sweetwater” in many states - and even multiple “Sweetwater” towns in some states. 

But, water is like gold in some areas.  Cities have water processing plants.  

My research yielded this: 

In a city water processing plant, raw water from a source like a river or reservoir goes through a series of steps including screening, coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to remove impurities and contaminants, making it safe to drink by eliminating bacteria, parasites, and other harmful substances; essentially, the process cleans and purifies the water before distributing it to homes and businesses.

And, of course, bottled water is a growing industry.  

The International Bottled Water Association in 2022 noted this:

“America’s favorite packaged drink – bottled water – reached new peaks in both volume consumed and sales in 2022 in the U.S., new data from the Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC) shows.  

Bottled water’s total volume sold in 2022 was 15.9 billion gallons, its highest volume ever, surpassing carbonated soft drinks for the seventh year in a row. In terms of retail dollars, 2022 sales approached $46 billion, up from $40.8 billion in 2021.

“Numerous qualities account for bottled water’s unceasing resonance with U.S. consumers, including its associations with healthfulness, convenience, safety, and value,” says John G. Rodwan, Jr., BMC’s editorial director.

“Consumers’ thirst for beverages that offer benefits beyond refreshment alone also contributed to the fundamental hydrating beverage’s rise in the beverage standings. Bottled water’s zero-calorie status and its lack of artificial ingredients appeal to many consumers. Even where tap water may be safe and readily available, people may prefer bottled water, which they often believe tastes better.”

For more than a decade, consumers have been increasingly choosing bottled water instead of less-healthy packaged drinks. Bottled water’s volume surpassed soft drinks for the first time in 2016 and has done so every year since.”

Americans consumed, on average, 46.5 gallons of bottled water in 2022, compared to 36 gallons of soda. Consumer demand for bottled water has significantly contributed to the industry’s growth (30% since 2012), as people continue to switch from other less-healthy packaged drinks to bottled water. So much so, that nine out of 10 Americans (91%) want bottled water to be available wherever other drinks are sold, according to a survey conducted on behalf of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) by The Harris Poll. 

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I live in a city that had a water processing facility.  I get approved water through pipes that crisscross the city from the water plants.  I turn on my tap - and I have water.  I haven’t worried about the quality.  I assume that the water is checked and verified before entering the distribution system.  

I don’t buy bottled water (generally), although I do drink it on occasion (such as a refreshment room for our Granny Basketball teams).  I think our local water is good - and I’m trying to be frugal and watch my expenses.  I do know people that only drink bottle water - through the large water coolers that might be found in companies, or with the bottled water you can get at a grocery store. 

Some people still use city water, but then use a Brita filter (or other brand) to do a final filtering at home.  After tornados, and hurricanes, bottled water is brought in by the ton.  Occasionally one might hear of a compromised water system and users are requested to boil their water.  

 

I don’t know if such filtering is good or not.  Does the water taste better?  Probably.  

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Ah yes, water is maybe the biggest issue for the future - will we have enough to irrigate fields (and our lawns)? Will it be clean and not have harmful bacteria?  Can we harvest sea water for drinking and usable water?  

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LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, January 7, 2025