Whether you get your H2O from a bottle at the store, from the tap in your kitchen, or an off-grid cistern or well system, it’s an inalienable truth that water is life. And that stands for many reasons.
Look to indigenous cultures where women are considered the Grandmothers and Water Keepers who speak for and seek to protect water. It’s a sacred female task bestowed upon women as they’re the carriers of water and life.
Earth is covered in roughly 70% water, the problem is less than 3% of it is actually drinkable, fresh water. And because we aren’t the only life on this planet dependent upon it, the acute need for clean drinking water is quite evident. Perhaps that’s why the theme of this year’s World Water Day is Groundwater – Making the Invisible Visible. You need only look back to your elementary school days for an intro to the water cycle to recall what groundwater is, however very little is truly understood today about the earth’s natural filtration systems that purify our groundwater so well.
Known as spring water, or in some cases artesian (meaning from a specific type of naturally propelled flow of water), this is water sourced from underground aquifers. According to National Geographic, “Aquifers naturally filter groundwater by forcing it to pass through small pores and between sediments, which helps to remove substances from the water.”
Since we primarily rely upon ground water as a source for our homes, businesses, and farms, and several parts of the modern world are experiencing water shortages already, extensive studies are being conducted across the globe to better understand how to keep these sources free of contaminates, and how to pull from them responsibly in order to ensure their use for many generations to come.
There’s much debate on how much water one should consume in a day. That’s because our bodies are made up of anywhere between 50-75% of water, and what we need varies by age, gender, and climate. Water is a necessity for any number of bodily processes such as oxygen delivery throughout the body, joint lubrication, cushioning the brain and spinal cord, temperature regulation, as well as flushing toxins to name just a few. Our consumption is directly linked to our very health and survival. But like food labelling, you’re hard pressed to understand which water is best.
I am truly lucky to live close to a natural artesian flow, so I rarely (if ever) drink bottled water, and I tend to steer clear of tap water, which is more often than not both chlorinated and/or fluorinated. Mineral content is measured by parts per million (ppm), as most mineral spring, artesian, or glacier sources of water have some kind of naturally occurring mineral composition. The key is to look for a lower ppm, although steer clear of distilled water for consumption, which has been boiled in order to collect the condensation specifically to remove any minerals and can actually deplete your body. This water is typically used for water operated items where minerals could corrode and damage mechanisms over time. Some mineral water has had minerals added to it, and although still beneficial, my personal rule of thumb has always been sticking to what occurs naturally with the least amount of intervention. Government regulations require all bottled waters to conform to health guidelines, no matter their source.
With so many issues relating to water from micro-plastics to pollution of every kind, this World Water Day I encourage you to use yours wisely. As the indigenous belief goes water has memory, which is paralleled to scientific knowledge that our planet has a closed water system. Remember the water here today is the same water that was on the planet since long before the dinosaurs, and it will be the only water we have for tomorrow.
Written By Melanie Robitaille
