Water - Our most precious resource...

Water is necessary for the survival of most living things. In fact, dehydration--the lack of water--will kill an organism faster than starvation--the lack of food. Since the plants and animals that many humans and other animals eat also depend upon water, a lack of it could lead to starvation as well as dehydration. In addition to sustaining life, clean freshwater is needed by humans for personal hygiene, irrigation, industry, and recreation. Humans bathe in it, brush their teeth with it, use it to make crops grow and to cool industrial reactors, and swim, boat, and fish in it.

With all of the demands we place on the hydrosphere, as well as climate changes which have led to droughts, the amount of available freshwater is decreasing. In addition, much of the available freshwater is being contaminated with harmful elements such as sulphuric acid, fertilizer, and gasoline. This happens as freshwater circulates through the hydrologic cycle. As precipitation passes through the atmosphere and flows over roads, agricultural fields, and other human-made objects, it picks up contaminants that often make it unusable. In a sense, precipitation "washes" the dirt and grime (contaminants) from the air and Earth's surfaces, just like the water washes the dirt off of you when you bathe. These contaminants are then carried to the streams, rivers, and eventually into the groundwater, lakes, and oceans of the world. Water quality may also be affected by natural causes such as volcanic eruptions.

The importance of clean water, coupled with its scarcity due to over-use, climate, and pollution, has resulted in increased concerns about water quality and quantity. These concerns have already led to war between nations such as Namibia and Botswana.

Water resources are sources of water that are useful or potentially useful to humans. Uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities. Virtually all of these human uses require fresh water. 96.7% of water on the Earth is salt water, and over two thirds of fresh water is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps, leaving only 0.9% available for human use. Fresh water is a renewable resource, yet the world's supply of clean, fresh water is steadily decreasing. Water demand already exceeds supply in many parts of the world, and as world population continues to rise at an unprecedented rate, many more areas are expected to experience this imbalance in the near future. .

However, even with all of the importance water holds in our lives, many of us know very little about the water we use each day. We drink tap water, enjoying the convenience and cost-effectiveness of this practice, yet, we fail to recognize the serious threat this water may pose to our health. Those who are willing to forgo the convenience of tap water and indulge in bottled water often know very little about the contents of that water and simply trust that bottled water must be better than tap water. Even conscientious consumers, who wisely attempt to treat their own water in an effort to ensure the healthfulness of that water, often know little about the many home water treatment options now available.

In this age of information, with so many resources immediately available, there is no reason why anyone should remain so ill informed about water. It is the goal of this site to offer comprehensive information about the water with which we live and work every day, including a brief summary of water treatment alternatives, an exposé on the truth about bottled water, and a fact listing about drinking water and water filtration products.

How Much Do You Know About Water?

20 Interesting Facts About Water

10 Reasons to Drink Water

10 Reasons to Use a Water Filter

10 Reasons to Filter the Water for the Whole House

Glossary of Terms Used

Adsorption - The chemical process in which filter media encourage water contaminants to separate from the water molecules and bond to the filter media.

Cryptosporidium - A chlorine-resistant protozoan that makes its way into municipal water facilities. The protozoan can cause severe gastrointestinal illness.

EPA - Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA is the government agency assigned to maintain cleanliness standards and maximum contaminant levels for all municipal water plants in the United States.

FDA - Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is the government agency that ensures standards and quality for all food and drugs produced and marketed in the United States.

Giardia - A chlorine-resistant protozoan that makes its way into municipal water facilities. The protozoan can cause severe gastrointestinal illness.

Hippocratic Sleeve - A simple water filter designed by Hippocrates of ancient Greece. The filter consisted of a cloth sleeve through which water was poured.

NRDC - National Resource Defense Council. The NRDC is a political activists’ group that boasts more than 1 million members. Its goal is to protect the planet’s wildlife and natural resources.

pH - A measure of the general alkalinity or acidity of a substance. pH numbers range from 0-14, with 7 being neutral.

Phthalate - Phthalate is a colorless liquid that has a bitter, disagreeable taste. It is a synthetic substance that is commonly used to make plastics more flexible.

VOCs - Volatile Organic Chemicals. VOCs are synthetic chemicals dissolved in water—such as insecticides or herbicides—which vaporize at low temperatures.

WWF - World Wide Fund for Nature. The WWF is a global organization with several offices throughout the world. Its goal is to protect and preserve environmental resources.