Water is generally classified into two groups; surface water and ground water. Surface water is just what the name implies; the water found in a river, lake or other surface impoundment. This water is usually not very high in mineral content, and many times is called "soft water" even though it usually is not. Surface water is exposed to many different contaminants, such as animal wastes, pesticides, insecticides, industrial wastes, algae and many other organic materials. Even surface water found in a pristine mountain stream possibly contains Giardia or Coliform Bacteria from the feces of wild animals, and should be boiled or disinfected by some means prior to drinking.

Ground water is that which is trapped beneath the ground. Rain that soaks into the ground, rivers that disappear beneath the earth, melting snow are but a few of the sources that recharge the supply of underground water. Because of the many sources of recharge, ground water may contain any or all of the contaminants found in surface water as well as the dissolved minerals it picks up during its long stay underground. Waters that contains dissolved minerals, such as calcium and magnesium above certain levels are considered "hard water" Because water is considered a "solvent", i.e., over time it can break down the ionic bonds that hold most substances together, it tends to dissolve and 'gather up' small amounts of whatever it comes in contact with. For instance, in areas of the world where rock such as limestone, gypsum, fluorspar, magnetite, pyrite and magnesite are common, well water is usually very high in calcium content, and therefore considered "hard".

Due to the different characteristics of these two types of water, it is important that you know the source of your water, surface or ground. Of the 326 million cubic miles of water on earth, only about 3% of it is fresh water; and 3/4 of that is frozen. Only 1/2 of 1% of all water is underground; about 1/50th of 1% of all water is found in lakes and streams. The average human is about 70% water. You can only survive 5 or less days without water.

Different kinds of water

Tap water: This might be unsafe to drink in various parts of sub-continent. In developed countries people routinely drink off the tap, but even there, now questions are being raised about the purity of the water. One serious issue about tap water is fluoridation. If the tap water can be purified from it's contaminants, it is probably the cheapest option.

Mineral water: The "so called' minerals in the mineral waters are inorganic and unusable by the body. It therefore confers no health benefit whatsoever on the drinker. But the health and profits of the mineral water selling companies definitely improves. If you drink bottled mineral water because clean water is otherwise not immediately available, that's fine. But don't be under any illusions that it is good for health.

Distilled water: Since this is the purest form of water, one school of thought suggests drinking this as the best. Another school says that this water is not "alive" since fishes will not live in it. It also is supposed to "leach" minerals from the body.

We doubt if an inert substance like water has any power to "leach" or do anything to the body. However distilled water for drinking purposes is not easily available in sub-continent and even in the west, distillers are expensive. The best way is to get the water you need in the food you eat i.e. eat water sufficient foods such as raw fruits and vegetables which have 70% water in them. This is the purest water, "distilled" by the plant itself. Once you eat a sufficient quantity of your food raw, the need to supplement your diet by water will be minimal. And then, whatever little you drink, it will not make much difference whatever it is, as long as it is clean.

Other drinks

Carbonated soda or sparkling water: The gas put in the water has to be eliminated by the body since it can't be used. The only saving grace about soda is that it is less harmful than soft drinks like colas

Regular soft drinks like colas: Soft drinks are anything but soft on the body. One can of a soft drink has between five to seven teaspoons of sugar depending on brand. Sugar itself is a serious health hazard (see section on sugar) besides disturbing the body's chemical balance it also loads you with un-necessary empty calories. There are about 200 calories in a can, but virtually no other nutrients in the cola. You get nothing but the calories. Even the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines soda as of "minimal nutritional value." That means a 12 ounce can of non-diet soda, which usually contains 120 to 200 calories, provides less than 5 percent of the daily requirements for eight key nutrients. Huge consumption of soft drinks in the west is one of the likely causes of obesity. The high sugar content of these drinks also contributes to tooth decay. Cola drinks contain caffeine (another poison see section on caffeine) which can result in addictive caffeine dependence. Some studies have also linked high consumption of these drinks to bone weakening, especially in young girls. There are also a lot of chemicals and adhesives and artificial colors and flavors put into these soft drinks, which no one knows the long term impacts of. Finally, do you know what they put in the drink to keep it fizzy and not go "flat" phosphoric acid. That's made by treating phosphorus with sulfuric acid. It is otherwise used for etching glass. Of course they say, it is in minute quantities, but it's not something anyone would like to put into his/her body.

Diet soft drinks (diet colas etc): If anything, these could be worse than the "real thing". If you must drink soft drinks, drink the regular stuff. Stay away from the diet drinks the artificial sweeteners used are toxic chemicals that have incompletely researched effects on the body.

Hard drinks: The dangers of alcohol are well known and documented so we shall not go into them here. Suffice to say, alcohol is poison. Any living cell that comes into contact with alcohol dies. Each drink you take kills millions of cells. The body cannot use alcohol so every bit of it has to be excreted. The body uses all channels to excrete it as rapidly as possible including the skin, the lungs, and the kidneys. That's why the breath, "beer breath", sweat or urine of someone who is drinking smells of alcohol. The liver which is responsible for detoxification of all the toxins that get into the body is heavily taxed by alcohol consumption and is the first casualty of alcohol. It is a sad commentary on the state of affairs that India's government depends on taxes from the liquor industry to keep itself going. Any state that implements prohibition goes rapidly bankrupt. Of course prohibition is not the answer, people themselves have to prohibit alcohol to themselves.

Juices: Juices are not drinks, they are liquid food. So they have to be treated as such. They should be consumed when hungry not thirsty. Fresh fruit juices of course are much better than bottled or canned juices which have sugar added, and also other toxic colorings, flavors, anti-oxidants and other chemical preservatives. Even the 100% natural juices which state "No added sugar, color, preservative and flavors" are sterilized / pasteurized / boiled to kill germs and stop the juice from spoiling. This process also kills all the enzymes and destroys almost all the vitamins as well. So while a natural juice is better than one with chemicals and sugar added, it is not of much value. Juices are of maximum value to toothless individuals who cannot chew their food. Convalescing patients, infants etc also do well on fresh juices. Fresh Vegetable juice supplies the body with a lot of nutrients and is extremely healthy in moderation. Avoid over consumption of juices even fresh ones. These foods are too concentrated with nutrients which put a load on the body to handle it. The fiber is removed in the juicing process so the sugars too get concentrated. More than one glass or two glasses of juice a day may not be a very good idea. Moderation is the key. To summarize, fruit and vegetable juices can be very healthy FOODS but they are not to be drunk in place of water. See the link to the article alongside for health benefits of juices.

Tea and Coffee: To put it bluntly, tea and coffee are socially acceptable drugs. But that does not change their nature drugs they are that the body gets addicted to. Caffeine in coffee, along with thousands of other chemicals, and tannin in tea are addictive drugs. The headaches and other symptoms a regular tea or coffee drinker gets, when he misses his cup of favorite poison on time are nothing but milder versions of withdrawal symptoms experienced by drug addicts when they give up their drugs. All drugs including tea and coffee are stimulants to the nervous system. The "refreshing, invigorating" feeling you get after you drink your cup, is actually a weak and tired body, which, instead of being allowed to rest, is being whipped into action. The body reacts in the same way as a tired horse does when whipped it runs faster. But if pushed long enough it drops dead. The body tries to eliminate the poisons, but since it is being constantly loaded with them it lacks the energy to complete this process. When you stop drinking the stuff, the body gets a chance and starts collecting all the toxins in the bloodstream in preparation for elimination. This higher level of toxins is what causes the headaches, discomfort etc. you feel when you miss or give up your daily cuppa. If you grit your teeth and bear with it- in a few hours or days, depending on the degree of abuse that has happened, the body will completely eliminate these toxins. The headaches and discomfort will vanish. And you will not have a headache any more if you stay off these drinks.

Milk: This deservers a separate section of it's own. Read "Don't drink your milk" for details.

Fluoridated water: We have been told that fluoride is added to our drinking water because it is required for us to be healthy. It prevents cavities. However, a lot of studies have been done that have shown the adverse effects of ingesting fluoride even in small doses as present in our drinking water supplies. "We would not purposely add arsenic to the water supply. And we would not purposely add lead. But we do add fluoride. The fact is that fluoride is more toxic than lead and just slightly less toxic than arsenic." These words of Dr. John Yiamouyiannis may come as a shock to you because, if you're like most Americans, you have positive associations with fluoride. You may envision tooth protection, strong bones, and a government that cares about your dental needs. What you've probably never been told is that the fluoride added to drinking water and toothpaste is a crude industrial waste product of the aluminum and fertilizer industries, and a substance toxic enough to be used as rat poison. Some of the other possible evils that have been laid at fluoride's door include that it;

r Is Neurotoxic and Lowers IQ
r Possibly contributes to brain damage
r Causes Cancer
r Changes Bone Structure and Strength
r Causes Birth Defects and Perinatal Deaths
r Has been Proven Ineffective to prevent cavities (which is why it was added to the water in the first place)
r Impairs Immune System
r Causes Acute Adverse Reactions
r Causes Initial Stages of Skeletal Fluorosis
r Increases Lead and Arsenic Exposure
r Contributes to the Development of Repetitive Stress Injury
r Causes Permanent Disfigurement of the Teeth in Many Children
r Inhibits Key Enzymes
rCauses Large Numbers of Acute Poisonings. (This is why a poison warning is now required on fluoridated toothpastes sold in the U.S.)

With all these issues, it is unethical to force people to consume fluoride by adding it to their drinking water, where they have no choice in the matter. That's why adding fluoride to drinking water is banned in Many Countries. For further details, refer to the links alongside.

Water purifiers: If you purify your water there are several options. Water distillers and reverse osmosis units are the best option.

FAQ's - Water in General

Q: Is water from the tap safe to drink?
A: In most urban areas, water delivered through the municipal system is safe to drink. However, many people seek to improve the aesthetic value of the water, i.e. taste, color, odor, mineral content, and/or chlorine if present.

Q: What to drink when thirsty?
A: The first thing to clarify is what is fit to drink and what is not. The only DRINK that's fit to DRINK is water. The rest of it is either FOOD or POISON. Well that may be an extremist view but the point is that all some liquids like juices) are liquidized food, others like coconut water is food in liquid form, while all other drinks like tea, coffee, soda, soft drinks, alcohol, etc. are harmful to the body to varying degrees. So when you are thirsty, drink WATER.

Q: How much water is used per person, per day?
A: About 650 liters per person, per day. That includes water used by people at home, and the water used by industries, businesses and institutions.

Q: How much water to drink?
A: Ask anyone and they will say "Eight glasses a day". But who was the originator of this theory and how did he arrive at this figure. That is shrouded in mystery. No one knows. For further details, read http://www.chetday.com/eightglassesofwater.htm The fact is that it is impossible to put a standard formula that applies to all people in all situations. The amount of water a person needs depends on his age, weight, the climate he lives in, the kind of work he does, the kind of food he eats etc. For example, a laborer doing manual labor in the sun needs a lot more than an office worker doing a sedentary job in an office. Naturally this amount can even change from day to day depending on so many factors so to put a blanket figure of eight glasses for everyone everyday is nonsense and has no scientific justification. A person eating a diet predominantly consisting of raw fruits and vegetables needs hardly any water at all - provided he lives in a temperate climate and leads a sedentary life. People may drink about half a glass of water a day on an average in cool weather, when they are not exercising. But if they eat a lot of cooked food or spicy food by some chance, if they exercise a lot (e.g. running for a hour or more), or in hot weather then they drink a lot more. So how much water should we drink? The answer is, as much as thirst demands. Thirst is the best indicator. When you feel thirsty, drink water and only water. Drink as much until you are thirsty no more. That is all. Never put off thirst, drink as soon as you can when thirsty. The body can get easily dehydrated.

Q: Is too much water drinking harmful?
A: Yes, to some degree, anything in excess is harmful. The kidneys have to work extra to get rid of the extra water not needed. But there is no serious problem if you drink a glass or two more than what you need. Most of us do not drink enough water anyway so the problem of excess water consumption is not likely.

Q: What about "water therapy", drinking a liter of water first thing every morning as soon as you wake up? It cleans out the system and flushes out toxins, right?
A: Drinking glass after glass of water, early in the morning, when you are not thirsty, to clean and flush out your bowels is of doubtful value. The body has its own system to flush out toxins and does not need any more water than what it demands by thirst.

Q: What is in our drinking water?
A: Drinking water, like every other substance, contains small amounts of bacteria. Most of these bacteria are common ones and they are generally not harmful. Chlorine is usually added to drinking water to prevent bacterial growth while the water streams through pipelines. This is why drinking water also contains minimal amounts of chlorine. Water mostly consists of minerals and other inorganic compounds, such as calcium. If you want to find out what substances your tap water consists of and whether it is totally safe to drink you can have a specialized agency check it out for you.

Q: How much is a part per billion?
A part per billion (ppb) is a measure of concentration, the amount of one material contained in a larger amount of another material. To look at it differently, a pinch of salt in ten tons of potato chips or one drop of an impurity in 500 barrels (about 26,500 gallons) of water would represent a part per billion.