What is an ambulance doing in front of my house? This is a question no mother wants to ask as she walks home from a long train ride from work. She rushes through the door just as her teenage daughter is being carried on a stretcher to the ambulance. Fortunately, her husband was home when he noticed how lethargic their daughter appeared and called the local EMS organization.

When Jenny left early that morning her daughter was already up and getting ready to go to school. Jenny inquired if she had breakfast and her daughter claimed she had no time and would grab something at school.

Jenny hopped into the ambulance hoping that she herself would not faint from hunger and tried to calm herself down as she looked at her daughter who was sleeping peacefully on the stretcher. At the hospital, the emergency room RN on call put the girl on a saline IV and low and behold she woke up and appeared fine.

“Simple dehydration”, diagnosed the ER physician and he then began asking simple questions such as what did the girl eat and drink that day and how many times she went to the restroom. The girl admitted that she was studying late the night before and neglected to eat or drink that morning as well. A simple case of dehydration was the verdict, something that could have been avoided frightening her parents.

Guilt, anger and compassion all rose up together in Jenny’s throat. How could her daughter be so careless to not put a morsel of food or a drink of water in her mouth for so many hours? She is usually a good eater and enjoys drinking as well. It does happen to teenagers that they either get overheated in sports or are too busy studying and forget to drink.

How Can Water Prevent Dehydration?

Surprisingly, our body weight is about 60% water regulating body temperature while keeping our liver and kidneys functioning efficiently. Our body washes out unneeded toxic matter through the liver and kidneys and water keeps these organs on track. Any deviation from the normal amount of water consumed can cause dehydration. All it can take is a decrease of fluid intake as small as 2% for dehydration signs to surface causing symptoms such as unexplained fatigue, lightheadedness and headaches. A child going to a school exam in such a condition will not be using their brain capacity properly as dehydration can decrease brain function.

According to The National Academy of Medicine, women should drink about 11.5 cups of water every day and men should drink 15.5 cups per day. There are foods such as tomatoes, potatoes and other water filled fruits and vegetables that can be counted in your daily water intake.

Should You Drink Water Before Going to Bed at Night?

There are different schools of thought as to when the best time is to drink water, morning, noon or night. Another question posed by experts is does it actually make a difference when you drink your daily water ration?

If you are one of the lucky people who have a healthy night’s sleep, you will be thirsty when you wake up in the morning. Some folks will keep a bottle of water on their nightstand so that they can begin their daily allotment of water as soon as they rise. Your body has been without water for eight hours straight. (Some of us do wake in the middle of the night for a drink as well.) and it will help you feel more invigorated and ready to tackle your morning routine whether going to school, work or staying at home when you begin to hydrate early.

To most nutritionists’ coffee and tea also count as water although too much caffeine is unhealthy and unnecessary if you get enough sleep. Unfortunately, some people forget to drink enough water throughout the day and remember about it right before bedding down. Is it beneficial to drink water right before bedtime?

Statistically, three out of four Americans do not drink enough water during the day nor get enough liquid energy from other foods to fill in the disparities. For those people who tend to get hot during the night and even sweaty, drinking water before bed is a good idea (even though they may have to wake up to go to the restroom disrupting their well needed sleep.) Those folks who keep turning over their pillows and tossing off their covers could benefit from pre-sleep water drinking. These people’s body temperatures rise and drinking water before bed will control that hot feeling and sweating.

Will Drinking Water Help With Weight Loss?

Weight loss diets generally require a specific amount of water consumption per day. Not only does drinking decrease the appetite but also increases trips to the restroom washing away excess salt. A decrease in salt is a big bonus to weight loss and combined with an increase in fluids is a sure way to get rid of those extra pounds. The only exception is for those who do extreme sports it is quite important to have adequate salt in your body. There is energy drinks geared specifically to post workouts that should be incorporated in an athlete’s diet. However, if you exercise normally a decrease in salt should not be a problem. Diet coaches will instruct you to ask yourself before you pick up a snack if you are truly hungry or just thirsty. A personal bottle of water may do the trick and avoid any unneeded calories

Some folks are particular about how they prepare their bottled water. Some like it cold and some do not and prefer it at room temperature. Other people must have a squeeze of lemon or lime which is fine. There is nothing as refreshing after a hot game of tennis than to open that freezing cold water bottle and drink it straight – no lemon, lime or any other flavoring. Simple hydrating of the body is so important after any activity and a sweet drink such as a can of soda will not do the trick as well as a bottle of cold water.

According to Bonnie Taub, RN, the author of Read It Before You Eat It, drinking water before a meal will decrease the appetite and eating less means losing more. In fact, a study concluded that folks who drank two cups of water thirty minutes before eating lost almost three pounds in twelve weeks.

How do the Elderly Tackle Drinking Their Water Quota?

Elderly individuals have an especially hard time drinking water. Their esophagus is sometimes narrow from age, and they cough from liquids. This is a vicious cycle that can develop where the individual will avoid drinking water and become dehydrated. Relatives may not realize why their parents are lethargic and will call the local EMT’s to check this person out.

Knowing how easy it is to become dehydrated even at a younger age will help these relatives to solve the problem without going to the emergency room. By encouraging the seniors to drink water, the family can avoid a dreaded visit to the hospital. For those people who find it difficult to drink plain water there are alternatives such as freeze pops, or apple sauce mixed with water.

It certainly would be advantageous to pay the extra price for higher quality freeze pops that taste much better than the off brands. Make sure to always have a range of different drinks and ice pops for your seniors.

Final Words

There are differences in opinion as to which time of day it is best to drink your daily water but all agree that it is crucial to the health and wellbeing of your body both physically and mentally. The most optimum way of drinking water is throughout the day, but this is sometimes not practical if you are not near a restroom or you cannot leave the room wherever you need to.

Some folks end up realizing before they go to bed that they have not consumed their daily quota of water. When this occurs, it is better to drink than not to drink especially if they will be sleeping soundly until morning. Without hydration you may wake up lightheaded and even dizzy. Then the hot shower will make you feel worse, and you may have to lay down again. By keeping a bottle of water handy on your nightstand you will avoid dehydration by taking a gulp as soon as you awaken.

Certain family members from young to old have difficulty meeting their daily water quota. For these individuals it is helpful to have a variety of options ranging from cold ice pops to hot drinks and soups. By giving your family healthy and varied alternatives you will stay confident in avoiding the scrooge of dehydration. Dehydration can come gradually or suddenly so be on the lookout for members of the family who seem lethargic and not themselves.

One of the worst fears that a community member will have is a fire in their home or more extensive wildfires that can rack a community at large. Take for example the recent Jones Road Forest Fires that burned in Ocean County New Jersey which compelled the evacuation of over three thousand New Jersey residents. Thirteen hundred homes and buildings and over three hundred thousand acres of land were in danger of destruction from these wildfires. It was so intense that it facilitated the closure of seventeen miles of the Garden State Parkway from Exit 63 to Exit 80. Many residents had to be evacuated from their homes to shelters near but far enough from the wildfires to ensure the safety of the evacuees.

The reason for these fires is the wind gusts and drought conditions with winds blowing over twenty-five miles an hour causing the fire to spread. These types of wildfires are not limited to New Jersey. This week massive wildfires were raging in the city of Beit Shemesh in Israel so severe that drivers were forced to leave their cars on the highway and run for their lives as they watched their cars burning as they fled to safety. Thankfully there were no casualties so far in either the city of New Jersey or Israel.

People’s safety was the number one concern of firefighters, and with citizens complying by leaving their homes and cars deaths were averted. As these fires are being contained slowly residents and government officials are facing other dangers for the citizens of these communities. Ash from the fires will seriously affect the air quality and water safety in these impacted regions.

Water: Will Their Running Water Be Safe to Drink?

Residents should listen very carefully to government alerts about the safety of their drinking water. Even if the water looks clear it does not mean that it is not contaminated. Any phone call, text or email that is sent out stating, “Do Not Use” or “Boil Water” should be taken seriously. In fact, even if you get all clear for drinking the water it would be prudent to continue drinking only bottled water till the water looks clean and clear. Sometimes the municipality will okay the use of tap water even if it is still not clear.

Since no one knows when catastrophe can strike, we all should always have bottled water in our homes or garages. This past year has been a dry one with little rainfall to keep the ground moist. When trees are dry and a match is haphazardly thrown on the ground by a careless smoker, the forest can ignite, and a wildfire is born. Many companies have specials on cases of personal bottles of water such as buying two cases and getting two free. Even if you are in an apartment and have limited space, find a place where you can pile up one case on top of another which would save lots of room. When you hear about a new fire, fill the tub in the bathroom with water so that you will be able to wash up and flush the toilet in case the water supply is curtailed.

How Will Rain Affect The Soil & Debris?

Our G-d-given ecological system usually works by itself except when wildfires caused by humans gets in the way. The composition of air, water and soil are impacted in different ways by the fires and by any rain that falls soon after the fires are extinguished. Water becomes opaque from the change in the soil from wildfire debris and ash causing pollution in the reservoirs, rivers and streams. When trees burn, chemicals such as phosphorus and nitrogen get into the water causing toxins to grow. It’s harmful enough when natural resources burn but if synthetics such as plastic burn, flammable chemicals will contaminate the water sources. In fact, even those very fire retardants that are present to contain the wildfires will add more harmful chemicals to the bunch.

How Are Water Conduits Affected By Fire Damage?

No matter how strong we and the government believe our water pipes are, the wildfire heat is stronger. Today most homes have plastic piping which is cleaner and practical without rust getting into our water from old metal pipes. The extreme heat of the fires can melt the pipes and water meters, even partially causing havoc. Plastic piping is healthy to a certain degree but when it gets heated up even if it doesn’t melt the chemicals released from the hot plastic can be hazardous to your health. The problem is not only personal but also damages the water conduits to the homes and businesses.

For example, pipe damage, heat and smoke from the fire can damage water treatment plants and water storage tanks causing danger to the sanitizing of drinking water. A major issue is taking away the water pressure by the firefighters through the local fire hydrants.

There were consequences in California several months ago when fires raged through exclusive neighborhoods destroying mansions and shrubbery. When firefighters attempted to extract the water from the hydrants there was none to be pumped causing major destruction that could have been prevented.

What was mentioned above is the immediate damage to water sources and then there is long term damage that must be accounted for and remedy. The long-term effects of wildfires can be studied in such cities as Los Angeles recovering from this year’s destructive wildfires. Besides bad taste and odor issues that folks must contend with, there are financial considerations that must be addressed regarding fixing and improving the treatment plants, interaction of disinfecting chemicals with the increased organic matter from the soil, and the killing and harming of the wildlife in the waters nearby.

The natural ecosystems are majorly impacted by the runoff from rain and other water sources used to extinguish the fires. The water treatment plants need to find additional disinfecting chemicals that will not react adversely with newly introduced sediments and organic matter to the local environment.

What Can Our Families Do If Our Water Is Affected By Wildfires?

You must listen to the guidelines of the local officials so when they say, “Do Not Use”, then do not use and sometimes this guidance becomes necessary even for brushing your teeth. Never drink polluted water even if you consider your tap water safe at normal times. Until you and the local authorities can test your water responsibly you must only drink bottled water. Of course, the time to purchase bottled water is before the crisis, not after since the stores will likely run low on this crucial commodity. In hurricane zones such as Florida folks are known to keep a generous supply of water in their garages or other locations in their homes. If you are the parent of younger children, they would certainly appreciate personal bottles that they can keep in their rooms and bathrooms. This will give them a sense of calm and confidence until the crisis passes. It could be quite scary for a young child to wake up in the middle of the night for a drink of water knowing that they cannot turn on the faucet. It’s frightening enough to smell the smoke that has entered the house and the additional fearfulness of no water to drink could be devastating to their emotional wellbeing.

What To Do After The Crisis Passes

Although the municipal authorities will try their best to fix the water contamination, each homeowner has to do their part to restore their water system securely. One of the first things to do is to have your water checked for bacteria and other contaminants. If you have your own well, a home kit is a good start, but you should have your water checked professionally by a licensed lab. Second, check for leaks in various places that usually would not have leaks.

A great idea in general is to install a water treatment system in your home such as reverse osmosis. Having your own filters underneath your kitchen and bathroom sinks is recommended and the more sophisticated systems have filters that don’t have to be changed so often. In fact, when looking for a filter company ask if they have a filter-changing service which comes in regularly to replace the filters, so you do not have to worry.

Final Words

Intense wildfires can ignite momentarily and there is not much time to react. Sometimes a throw of a cigarette is enough to ignite a dry forest or yard. Unfortunately, in today’s politically charged times, arson is often the reason but is not always easy to prove. We can only do our share to keep our families safe when our water supply is in jeopardy. Always keep bottled water on hand no matter how small your living premises are. Personal bottles are often on sale and can be purchased in bulk or delivered to your door.

Cases of handheld size water bottles grace my garage since I buy them in bulk when they go on sale. Sometimes the specials are as great as buying two cases and getting two for free. However, I did feel guilty disposing of so many water bottles each week and was thinking about investing in a reusable water bottle instead. Then I could put the empty bottle under the spout of the kitchen water cooler and eliminate all the access to throw away water bottles that will end up in landfills or other recycling venues.

Reusable water bottles come in an infinite variety and styles. An attractive water bottle makes a statement about its owner. Perhaps he or she is a sports enthusiast and displays their favorite team in bold letters. Another possibility is a personalized bottle that proudly showcases a woman’s grandchildren. She may have received that bottle as a birthday gift and each day that she uses it she is reminded of how cute those babies are.

Another advantage of reusable bottles is their size variation. People who are on specific diets must drink a certain amount of water each day. By filling up their jug in the morning they can spread out their water consumption evenly throughout the day. Some bottles are heavier in weight and that could be a plus while walking instead of weights. Those bottles come in metal and plastic depending on what the owner prefers. Plastic weighs less but tends to smell while metal is heavier and less likely to develop unpleasant odor.

In 2024 alone, the world market for reusable water bottles was about $10 billion. When Italian health care employees were asked what type of water bottles they used, half of them answered the reusable type. Over 50% of university students surveyed were users of reusable water bottles.

Are Reusable Bottles Clean Enough?

Surprisingly the short answer is no. If you are lucky enough to be a parent of an infant, you know how carefully you must wash their baby bottles. It’s not enough to wash them with soap and hot water; they must be washed internally with a special bottle brush made specifically for baby bottles. During the 1940’s and 1950’s and even the 1960’s parents of infants would boil their glass bottles in a special sterilizer to make sure that the bottles were germ free. This method was eventually dismissed as doctors believed that good washing with soap and hot water would do the trick.

Although many people are conscientious about cleaning their reusable water bottles, I have not heard or seen that special brushes are popular to clean them thoroughly. Even though they are being washed in hot water and soap daily, the white film can be difficult to remove and even to notice. An experiment was tried by a man named Carl Behnke to find out just how clean his water bottle actually was. He ripped paper towels from the roll hanging in his kitchen and packed them into his clean looking bottle. Although the towels started out white, they became stained with the remains of something. Carl was mistaken in the slippery feeling he felt when he put his fingers in the bottle. He thought that slick sensation was how the bottle was produced but once he looked at those soiled paper towels, he realized he was wrong. This was not the manufacturer’s intent but a build-up of some type of bacteria as we will detail as we go on.

Not only was Carl curious, but he was also worried and decided to start a survey. Carl approached his friends and colleagues asking them if he could borrow their bottles for his study. Many people were pleased about lending their bottles to Carl, yet some people did not want to know what the outcome was because those who were reluctant knew by themselves that they were not cleaning their bottles properly or at all! As you can well imagine what were the results of Carl’s study, the affirmation that the bottles were full of bacteria.

How do Different Types of Reusable Water Bottles Affect Bacterial Growth?

If you live in an area where it is safe to use tap water such as New York City, it does not mean that your reusable water bottle will be safe from bacteria. Boiling your tap water before filling your bottle is not necessarily an insurance policy against bacteria forming. In Singapore a study was conducted using boiled tap water placed in bottles that were used during a whole day. Even a few hours into the morning bacteria increased to about 75,000 bacteria per milliliter and for an entire day the bacteria level increased to 1-2 million milliliter.

As expected, glass bottles win out for taste, environment, and do not react with the water inside of them. However, for convenience and mobility, plastic is certainly the winner. Since glass bottles are usually made from natural minerals such as sand, and limestone they are completely recyclable. The trouble is that glass bottles do break so if you are doing sports and other lively activities it would be smart to use your plastic alternative. If you are going to and from your office, a glass bottle would be more environmental and taste friendly.

Professionals discourage putting any sugary liquids into your bottles, glass or plastic. You may put a simple hot tea with no flavoring in your glass bottle if it is made of borosilicate (heat resistant glass).

Is it Safe to Store My Water Bottle at Room Temperature?

Absolutely not! Room temperature is the perfect breeding place for the rapid growth of bacteria. There are many folks who find it difficult to drink cold water so placing the bottle in the fridge is not their favorite option. Bacteria grow between the temperatures of 68°F and 98°F and the longer it stays at room temperature the easier it is for the bacteria to multiply.

One way to lessen the growth of the bacteria even at room temperature is to start the day out with a pristine clean bottle.

How to Clean Your Reusable Water Bottle

First, we must understand that the bacteria are not only multiplying from the water in the bottle and the water itself but from the person who is drinking from the bottle. Each time you put your lips in the bottle you are freely handing over bacteria from your mouth. There are about 500 to 600 different types of bacteria in people’s mouths at one time according to Primrose Freestone, who is a member of the clinical microbiology staff at England’s University of Leicester. She stresses that humans have the tendency to put their fingers into their mouths either just touching their lips or biting their nails. Now, unless they wash their hands ultra frequently with soap and hot water they will be introducing germs into their mouths. These germs will be transferred not only to the mouthpiece of the bottle but into the water itself. Harmful bacteria such as E. Coli are plentiful in the workplace and can cause severe upset stomach if too much is added to the gut. The stomach does have E. Coli naturally but when this same bacteria turns into pathogens then people become sick.

The best way to clean a reusable water bottle is in a dishwasher with a sanitizing cycle. This means that when looking for a reusable water bottle check the label to see if it is dishwasher safe. Alternatively, you should clean your bottle daily with hot water and soap to remove any of the slimy stuff. Buy a special bottle brush that you should use at least once a week to clean the inside and outside of the bottle. A very important component to sanitize is the cap where germs and mold tend to grow.

An additional method of disinfecting your bottle is to use a solution of three parts water to one-part regular white vinegar periodically. An alternative to this type of disinfectant would be one teaspoon bleach for a quart of water. You must rinse the bottle well to take away the taste of these disinfectants.

Do not store your water bottle unless it is absolutely one hundred percent dry. Keep your bottle on the counter when not in use open until completely dry. (It’s a good idea to have more than one personal bottle.) Keeping a closed water bottle that is not completely dry will increase the likelihood of mold and all your preventive cleaning methods will be for naught.

Final Words

Drinking water is a great alternative to sweet or diet drinks but storing water safely in reusable bottles is quite challenging. There are always bacteria and mold lurking and waiting to get into our guts and we must be diligent in keeping our reusable and sometimes expensive bottles safe from germs. Although bacteria such as E. Coli live in our stomachs regularly, extra doses of this germ get into our bodies through sloppy upkeep of our water bottles. Also, if a person is taking antibiotics for other issues, they are more susceptible to E. Coli. A good idea is to check with your doctor about adding probiotics to your regiment during the time when you are taking antibiotics. It would be a good idea to switch to using one-time water bottles until your infection dissipates.

God has given to us five senses, hearing, seeing, touching, smelling and tasting. Each one is important in their own way and the sense of taste makes our world a whole lot more interesting and exciting. No one will forget the loss of certain people’s sense of taste during COVID-19 and some people have not tasted the same way ever since. When you are lacking a sense of taste and smell. food just does not have the same value which might be beneficial to those who have a weight issue. However, to most of us the sense of smell invites us closer to checking out how food tastes and no meal or snack would be the same without the sense of taste. Does plain water have a taste? It depends on the person’s sense of taste and the water he or she is drinking.

In the olden days people used water to wash their clothes and dishes and drank it minimally. In contrast, today people fill their bodies with water sometimes way more than is needed. Bottled water is evaluated and tested not only for impurities but for its taste, which is just as important. Folks who want to limit their salt intake will check out the list of ingredients on the water bottle to make sure no salt is added. Spring water may have salt naturally infused by nature and club soda also has salt added for taste and sometimes even tap water can taste salty.

Tap water should not have a salty taste, it should actually be tasteless. However, the weather can have an effect on the taste of local water, and this does not necessarily mean that the water is dangerous to drink. New Jersey American Water provides about 2.9 million people with their water across the entire state of New Jersey.

The winter season has had more than its share of sleet and snow following a draught in the fall. When snowfall is imminent both the town and the private homeowner will get out their salt and spread it generously on their walkway and the town on their roads to avoid accidents. For the town, this means special salt spreaders will fill the roads with salt so that the snow will melt to avoid slippery roadways. Since the salt is being distributed plentifully and together with brine on the roads, residents of New Jersey have noticed that their tap water has a slightly salty taste. When the snow begins to melt the chemicals from the salt will mix with the waterways that are used as sources of tap water. Customers were assured by New Jersey American Water that the quality of the water is not compromised by the addition of salt to the drinking water.

We can understand how the salt gets into the drinking water, but what does the fall drought have to do with this issue? Since the drought caused the reservoir levels to plummet there is less water and the salt became more concentrated. As we mentioned previously, there are no health concerns with salty water except for those people who have to limit their salt consumption, and they must inquire from their doctors as to how to proceed. They may have to temporarily buy bottled water to deal with this water issue until the rainfall goes back to normal levels. For those folks concerned about the latest sodium chloride levels they can look up the latest stats on the New Jersey Salt Watch chlorine data map.

Another reason for salty tasting tap water could be a salt-based water softener. A salt-based softener uses sodium ions to soften your hard water. However, when your softener is working right there should be little or no salty taste so if you do have a salty taste contact your professional installer.

Here are a few of the reasons they may discuss with you: Improper rinse cycle, there may be a layer of salt that forms that blocks the tank, or settings might have to be adjusted.

Salty water is the most common taste in New Jersey for affected tap water, however there are other unnatural tasting waters. Metallic taste, bleach taste, rotten eggs, bitter taste and gasoline taste in local waters are a few examples of water contamination.

1 – Metallic taste: Picture this: It’s the wintertime and you have just put up a delicious homemade vegetable soup with only fresh veggies. This is not something you do too often, and you are really looking forward to serving it up to your family when they come in from the cold. Here they are. They are home and you do not have to fret as to what you are giving them for supper; it’s all ready.

You scoop up the bowls of hot soup with your ladle and even have bowls of croutons and grated cheese for a more sophisticated supper, what could possibly go wrong? “Ugh” says your youngest son who happens to be your least picky eater, “this soup tastes like metal”, he points out. The other children agree with him. Now it’s not that you didn’t taste the soup, you did, and you thought it tasted fine but they are claiming a metallic taste. Sometimes the metallic taste is so vague that not everyone will taste it and children’s taste buds are sharper than adults. You hand over the garlic salt and cayenne pepper and manage to get the kids to eat the soup. You wonder, what could possibly cause this metallic taste?

This problem could have to do with the pipes in your house and not necessarily any outside contaminants. Your pipes can be constructed from an array of metals such as copper, lead, iron and manganese. If you have an older home the pipes can be corroded from wear and tear. Or if you moved into a new home recently and the water tastes like metal your pipes might need replacing or you can invest in a carbon water filter or a reverse osmosis system.

2 – Bleach taste: Chlorine is actually a good thing since it kills bacteria in water systems just like in the backyard pool. This is not your fault and has nothing to do with your pipes or water softener. You should get in touch with the water supplier to reduce the amount of chlorine in the water system.

3 – Rotten Eggs Smell & Taste: Hydrogen sulfide is the reason for this sudden smell and taste of rotten eggs. This taste is more pronounced in hot water, and it could be that your water heater is corroded. You should not drink the water and temporarily switch to bottled water until you contact your local water supplier and the trouble gets resolved.

4 – Bitter taste: Sometimes it is difficult to describe in words what the bitter taste reminds you of. Some claim the taste is medicinal, similar to when you take an aspirin or tylenol that begins to melt in your mouth before swallowing. Normal amounts of zinc and copper are good for your health but when you can taste it, it could mean that the levels of alkaline intensity are too severe and can cause stomach issues, vomiting and nausea. For this problem, a reverse osmosis system would be effective by raising the pH level which will reduce the bitter taste of the tap water.

5 – Gasoline Taste: This taste could be a warning of dangerous leakage due to industrial emissions or from a fuel storage tank that is leaky. You cannot drink this water and switch to bottled water immediately. Check the news and call your water company to find out if there has been a local fuel spill. Water and health authorities should be contacting you directly but sometimes they leave recorded messages that could malfunction. If a fuel spill is the cause of the gasoline tasting water the underground plastic pipes need to be replaced with pipes that have preventative coating.

Final Words

No, pure water should not have a taste. It should not be sweet, nor salty, bitter or metal tasting. It also should not taste like the pool water you accidentally swallow while swimming. However, no water is one hundred percent pure, not even spring water. Fortunately, most contaminants can be tasted by alerting the homeowner of a potential problem with the tap water. Some metals cannot be tasted, and different regions have varied tasting tap water which is why some folks will only use bottled water.

As spring arrival comes closer some of the causes of ill tasting water will be solved. There will be no need for all that salt on the roads and walkways as the flowers and trees bloom. However other causes of bad tasting water will not be resolved so easily. Problems such as bleach, metallic and fuel tastes are conditions that must be addressed by higher governmental authorities. Make sure you get in touch with the right people and see to it that your family stays away from strange tasting water. No wonder many folks today will not touch their tap water for drinking and use bottled water exclusively.

The nature, purify and cleanliness of water has come a long way from the times when folks drank out of water fountains in the park. Your grandparents should recall where they got their hydration while playing in the park, it was from the community water fountain. These fountains were not refrigerated nor put through any special filters but came straight from the same source that the water from the bathroom sinks. Not only was the water drunk straight from the running park tap but fearless patrons actually put their lips onto the tap without any hesitation. Well, they were thirsty, and this was the only water that was available. Schools and other large institutions likewise had water foundations maybe somewhat upgraded but still not particularly sanitized.

Bottled Water Introduced in the Nineteenth Century

Earlier in world history as more people moved to urban areas and industries expanded, people realized that the city water channels were becoming polluted causing illnesses such as typhoid, cholera and dysentery to proliferate. Public water was no longer considered that safe for drinking. When the germ theory was introduced in the medical world folks realized that there were actual bacteria that was causing people to get sick. Unbelievable as it sounds, medical professionals were clueless that hand washing and sterile garments would decrease the proliferation of illness, specifically in hospitals after procedures and operations. Even today, it is believed that the quicker a person is moved out of the hospital the safer it is.

The water business took off as mountain springs in remote places were tapped for their pure water and put into glass bottles to sell. These bottles were shipped to retail stores to be purchased by affluent customers. In those times only the rich would buy this water; the rest of the folks used tap water unlike today when almost everyone carries some type of water bottle.

1880: Stanislas Limousin a French inventor patented a water bottle made of porcelain which had two parts. There was a filter in the upper part which filtered the untreated water that was poured into the bottle. Limousin named his product Le Purificateur (The Purifier) and his product took off for middle class French families.

During the latter part of the 20th century people began drinking flavored drinks such as soda and juices. By the 1970’s kids were taking pouches such as Capri Sun to school with their lunches and were still using the school water fountains to get their daily water. In those days drinking water was not encouraged as a healthy must. If you were hot and thirsty you would take a gulp or two from the water fountain but almost no one would carry around a water bottle as is done today. If you were financially able you would buy a bottle or can of soda and there was only one brand of diet soda made by Coca Cola called Tab.

Generally, parents forbid their children from drinking anything with artificial sugars and consider them poison for a child to ingest. So yes, drinking sugar drinks or juices was the way to go for the general population. The people who were not fiscally able to buy flavored drinks, went to their kitchen faucets with a plastic pitcher, turned it on and filled the pitcher to the brim and the family could take as much as they wanted from the tap water. If they remembered to fill the ice trays the day before they could make ice water. Refillable seltzer bottles delivered by the seltzer man were common and who could forget the soda man who came every other week with a variety of no-name brand bottles. Interestingly, people were not concerned about weight that much and drinking sugary drinks did not seem to pose an immediate hazard for healthy people.

All this changed when in 1977 the PepsiCo company introduced their first brand of bottled water called Aquafina. It was advertised as coming from pure mountain springs although it was only regular water mixed with spring water. It was perfect timing with the popularity of jogging and dieting which were starting to be recognized as a normal way of life. In addition to soda in the typical soda vending machines, Aquafina® was added, and it took off on the mass market turning bottled water into a business worth billions of dollars.

The younger set takes extreme exercising and bottled water drinking as the norm of this generation, but bottled water is a relatively new phenomena in the world of consumerism. Ask any senior if they would have ever believed that people would be paying good money for water, and they will tell you that the only thing they do remember is a visit to mountain springs when they were on vacation. Venues such as Saratoga Springs in upstate New York are known for their mineral water.

Saratoga Springs

Legitimate springs such as Saratoga do have healing properties for conditions such as heartburn and stomach upset (Check out the springs that are high in alkaline content) and others contain iron and salt (beneficial for those vegans who don’t eat meat). This author had the pleasure of visiting Saratoga Springs about ten years ago. There are different springs in different areas with different ingredients. You are allowed to take as much of the spring water as you wish as long as you bring your own vessels which we did not know. We had a couple of bottles of water in the car which we emptied so that we could at least have a taste of what those carbonated mountain springs have to offer.

Here is a bit of a geology lesson about Saratoga Springs. There is a fault line underground which lets water that is trapped in layers of shale come to the surface. Celebrities such as George Washington praised the healthful benefits of the springs and even tried to purchase the land. The Indians were big believers in the therapeutic effects of these springs and named them “Serachtuague” which translates to “the place of fast-moving water” and the early colonists’ mispronunciation turned the name of the springs to “Saratoga” which still is an Indian sounding name.

Doctors prescribed these springs to cure rheumatism, heartburn, malaria, diabetes, kidney and liver ailments, strengthening the blood and even combating cancer. Interestingly, no two springs are the same and have uniquely different tastes and are made up of distinct minerals.

What is the difference between spring water and purified water?

Today, bottled water has become a necessity (there are folks who install water filtering systems in their sinks, but they are inconvenient since the filters do have to be changed once in a while or the water will not be filtered correctly). There are so many different types of bottled water some are from mountain streams but some are just purified water. It’s easy to mix them up especially if you are very thirsty and run into a store and grab a cold bottle.

Mountain spring water is filtered naturally underground white purified water can be any water that is filtered or purified to remove contaminants and other impurities. Spring water is specifically collected from boreholes or springs. These waters are filtered naturally as they flow through hills, valleys and mountains infusing the water naturally with minerals. Spring water has no known pollutants where it flows, making it a preferable alternative.

The creation of spring water is known as infiltration which means that when it rains the rainwater does not go into a stagnant water source but instead is filtered by rocks and minerals which takes several years. It does not require any artificial filtering and is ready to drink naturally. If you come across a natural spring while on vacation, be careful, not all water from every spring is ready to drink and can make you sick. This is because it has not been properly filtered and can have bacteria or some other harmful organic material.

Purified waters originate from canals, lakes, rivers and other stagnant water sources. Once the water is purified contaminants are safely removed but unfortunately so are the rich and healthy minerals. There are quite a few national parks that boast mountain spring water for therapeutic drinking.

Some of them are the sources for true spring waters that are sold in stores. Some allow visitors to fill up jugs and containers for free and many neighbors take advantage of this. Some of the springs are called hot springs and are for curative bathing not drinking. Before traveling long distances to mountain springs check if they are for drinking or bathing.

What are Some Benefits of Spring Water?

Good quality spring water has many benefits and here are a couple. Spring water can lower blood pressure. With the process of aging and the stress of everyday life many healthy people find out that they have high blood pressure. Sometimes the doctor will warn you that you must exercise and lose weight before putting you on medication. Springwater consists of valuable minerals and vitamins such as magnesium and calcium which can decrease blood pressure in people with borderline hypertension. Another benefit of spring water is to lower the acidity in people’s bodies changing their Ph level to basic as opposed to acidic.

Final Words

Since we live in a polluted world and the municipal water is full of contaminants, most people today refrain from drinking tap water. There are certain cities such as New York City that are noted for their good tasting tap water but that does not necessarily mean that their water is free of pollutants.

Some homeowners dig wells in their backyards but again that water may be right for watering the lawn but not for drinking. Well water is especially useful when the city governments forbid watering the lawn on hot summer days when there has not been rainfall for a while. If you have a well in your backyard that is connected to a hose or sprinkler system you will be exempt from that prohibition.

For folks who are from previous generations paying for water sounds strange. However, with the knowledge that tap water can be detrimental to our health most people are opting for spring water whether through having a water cooler in the home or using small convenient bottles to take on the go. There are many different quality levels of what is referred to as spring water since there are not yet strict laws to monitor the water. If you are thinking of starting the delivery of spring water to your home, make sure that the water is authentic and not just purified water. Yes, purified water is definitely safer than tap water but why not buy water that also contains vitamins and minerals and also tastes great.

It is true that paying for water is a rather new phenomenon, something our grandparents did not grow up with. That doesn’t mean that the water they were drinking back then was healthier, or was it? Water sources were not generally tested in those days for contamination as they are today. Firstly, we now have much more detailed and thorough methods of testing just as medicine has more efficient testing for bacteria such as strep. In your grandmother’s days, if a child complained about a sore throat and the doctor saw that it was red, he would prescribe an antibiotic without any taking of a throat culture. In fact, if there was a high fever accompanying the sore throat the doctor would take out the dreaded penicillin shot.

It All Started with a Bottle of Water

My niece walked into Aunt Hannah’s house as I was visiting carrying a half empty bottle of water. “What are you carrying?” asked Aunt Hannah of my niece Alycia. Aunt Hannah then went into a diatribe of the nonsense of bottled water. She claimed that when she was bringing up her children water was drunk when you were hot and thirsty and not just carried around in all seasons. There were water fountains in the park and tap water in the sink at home. For those who could not afford juice and soda there was a plastic pitcher of tap water waiting in the fridge for those who were thirsty.

Aunt Hannah tragically spent time during World War II in a concentration camp and was lucky to have a cup of water to drink at all. One time an inmate was caught using their precious water to wash their hands and was punished severely. When Hannah came to America, she was so thankful that she had running water on her tap. But, to pay for water? That idea was as foreign to her as the amount of garbage here in America. In Europe almost every piece of so-called “garbage” had a purpose such as vegetable peels given to the animals or the paper surrounding the fruit used as toilet paper.

Another point that Aunt Hannah emphasized was that when she was raising her children, they played outside most of the day or when they were finished with school. Yes, they got dirty, and some babies even put dirt in their mouths! She believed that germs bolstered her children’s immunity and called this generation, a bunch of “marshmallows”.

Alycia countered with facts and figures about how contaminated tap water is and how many diseases are caused by bacteria and other pollutants in the water. She lectured Aunt Hannah about oil spills, garbage thrown into the ocean and other toxins that make tap water undrinkable.

Aunt Hannah, in turn, rebutted Alycia’s arguments by stating that she is already in her nineties and has been drinking tap water since she was a child. It is quite difficult for a person of Aunt Hannah’s age and background to comprehend paying for a bottle of water. The spring water industry has risen from one that was enjoyed by wealthy health enthusiasts to virtually every person from different walks of life and financial straits. Just as cell phones are used by all, from immigrants to company CEOs, so too bottled water is used by all.

It adds such class to a store when you walk in and there are small bottles of water in a fridge for the taking. Standing online in Costco, it is truly amazing to see the quantities of bottled water that are being purchased at one time. Sometimes it looks like they are reselling them on the road to parched drivers but most of the time they are being bought for home use with people using several bottles a day.

It cannot be denied that tap water has taken a dive in the last fifty years as cars and factories emit dangerous pollutants into the air which in turn taints the reservoirs where our water comes from. Now there is a new source of concern which has been named forever chemicals.

What are Forever Chemicals?

These chemicals are called PFAS or polyfluoroalkyl substances which are added to everyday products such as stain resistance, non-stick coatings and waterproofing additives. Additionally, they are used by fire departments in the foam that is sprayed by the firemen to extinguish fires. Drinking water that has been tainted with PFAS has been consumed by millions of Americans on a daily basis. In fact, about ninety- eight percent of Americans already have forever chemicals present in their bodies. Flame retardants and non- stick products are effective in their purpose because PFAS have a permanent resistance and this same quality that makes these products so effective keeps the PFAS in the body forever, thus they have been named “forever chemicals”. Unlike other contaminants that leave the body via excretion, these chemicals stay in the body because they do not break down. PFAS have been associated with different types of cancer, thyroid disease, children’s immunity issues and even infertility.

How are Different States Tackling the Forever Chemicals Matter?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now asserts that forever chemicals are so toxic that there is no safe exposure level unlike other toxins. The new standard of the EPA today is to test public water systems for at least six PFAS chemicals in our drinking water which hopefully will reduce thousands of deaths in millions of people. Although the EPA has invested billions of dollars in the treatment of public water utilities by a law instituted in 2021 (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) it will be hard to eliminate these toxins because their chemical bonds are so strong. One billion dollars has been offered to each state for the treatment and sampling of each state’s water system.

How Are Different States Handling the Forever Chemicals Problem?

It is very complicated to totally remove forever chemicals from a state’s drinking water. Even with intricate, expensive, and sophisticated filters, all the toxins cannot be removed. Similarly with home or office water filters. You can see a lot of dirt in the filters, however, when tested, the water still has up to fifty- percent contaminants remaining.

Delaware: For almost ten years New Castle County in Delaware has been known to have very high levels of PFAS. New Castle has two main water utilities which have extensive filters that purify water before it enters citizens’ homes. If these filters are not updated by 2029 the county will be liable for illegal levels of PFAS. There is a controversy with this county with the website removing test results taken by the Office of Drinking Water. According to the Philadelphia NBC News affiliate station, Delaware is presently trying to update their filtering systems to a product called hybrid filtration model but experts are skeptical about this model because besides being extremely costly they are not certain that they will eliminate the forever chemicals.

New Jersey: There is a serious problem in Brooklawn New Jersey which began in 2022 when the Brooklawn town officials applied for a one-million-dollar grant to buy a PFAS removal filtration system. The Brooklawn managers were confident that by 2023 the problem with forever chemicals in the water would be resolved. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and citizens of this community have taken it upon themselves privately to purify their home water systems.

Pennsylvania: Emmaus, a small town in Pennsylvania, knew nothing about the danger of forever chemicals that polluted their water system until fall of 2021 when they found out that their water contamination was ten times more than the federal recommendation limits at that time. The well that was tested was shut down but the second contaminated well had to be left open to prevent a water shortage. Even with a newly purchased filtering system they have not yet solved this awful problem. Even the school systems in Pennsylvania must be tested but they have still not come to a viable solution since as stated previously these chemicals are “forever” and must be beaten with brand new technology.

What is the Federal Government Doing to Eliminate Forever Chemicals from the Water Supply?

As of February 29, 2024 the FDA has put into law that no PFAS may be used as grease proof products for food packaging in the United States. The delicious popcorn that you often make in your microwave is stored in bags that contain PFAS, and this has been eliminated as we write. The wrappers that your fast-food burgers are sold in have also been changed so that they contain no forever chemicals. Amanda Loudin, writing for WebMD, calls forever chemicals, everywhere chemicals, since they are present in makeup, sunscreen and even pizza boxes.

Citizens must fight and advocate to make sure the above products that they purchase and use should be free of forever chemicals and if they do find out that these products do contain PFAS to make sure to protest by not buying those tainted products.

New Innovations to Destroy Forever Chemicals

A new Princeton University research group has discovered a common bacteria named Acidimicrobium A6, present in soil specimens that they took from New Jersey wetlands. They looked at these bacteria and applied it to forever chemicals and were able to disintegrate up to sixty percent of the PFAS after one hundred days. If this success continues this treatment will turn forever chemicals into benign end products. This is going to revolutionize the way forever chemicals are treated and then hopefully they will no longer be called forever chemicals.

Another innovation in combating PFAS is coming out of The University of California at Riverside. In 2022, a group at this university was able to use a technique called blasting wastewater. By blasting the water with ultraviolet short waves, they were able to disintegrate the strong attachments of the forever chemicals. This procedure utilizes the salt that is found in wastewater as the key to breaking the strong bonds of the forever chemicals. The salt in the wastewater helps the UV light to work much faster.

Final Words

It would be dreamy to be able to go back to the innocence of Aunt Hannah when it comes to drinking water. Some people are going back to tap water with filters on their spouts or under their sinks. However, even if these filters do improve the water they only eliminate at most half of the contaminants from drinking water. So far, the safest bet is still spring water that is taken from places far from contamination and pollution. Let’s hope that with the right research such as in Princeton University and The University of California, common folks will be able to tap into their tap water safely, but until then we must be very careful that these chemicals do not get into our blood and lungs causing serious diseases.

There is such an astute difference in the amount of water people drank one hundred years ago and even fifty years ago compared to today that it is mind boggling. Why is it that people are ingesting so many more ounces of water than in the past? My elderly father claims that he only drank one cup of coffee a day and no other liquids all his life. Today, he must force himself to drink water so as not to become dehydrated as elderly people can easily become. Then they end up becoming disoriented and can end up in the emergency room.

Why are Folks Drinking So Much More Water Today Than Their Ancestors?

1: For starters, the rest room facilities a hundred years ago were not so available, and people hesitated to go to their outhouses on freezing cold days, especially in Europe. My Mom and Dad went to visit the family that hid my father during the Holocaust in the Ukraine. My Mom was a pretty good sport when she wrote me a letter on toilet paper that she received in the hotel that she stayed in first. When they slept over for one night at the saviors’ home, (that was more than enough) my mom had to visit the outhouse in the dead of winter in the middle of the night. So of course, it made sense that people should not over drink their water. In the “olden days” water that came from a pump needed to be used not just for drinking but for washing clothes and the people as well.

2: Although people were active if they were farmers and market goers, they did not just exercise for the purpose of keeping fit. Today, whether it’s summer or winter, people are looking for ways to burn up sweat and that of course causes the person to be thirsty and have a water bottle nearby. Some active individuals can drink as much as two gallons a day to keep their bodies hydrated.

3: The medical community now knows that water keeps the body and mind hydrated. People are told by their doctors to drink at least four glasses of water a day and some say eight. Folks who are on weight loss diets are given a regiment with a total amount of water to consume that could be staggering especially if they will not be near a restroom.

How Much Water Should Babies Drink?

While an infant is on formula or being breast fed it is not necessary to add water to their diet until about six months. Formerly, doctors would recommend sugar water for constipation in infants although now sugar water does not seem to be as common as a laxative in babies under six months. Starting water earlier can dilute the nutritious effects of the formula and breast milk which can lead to an imbalance of electrolytes (if a baby has a stomach virus and is vomiting or having diarrhea Pedialyte is usually recommended to replace the electrolytes that were lost).

Once a baby starts eating solids, water can be safely added to their diet (It must be bottled water, not tap.) When babies begin solids such as bananas and rice cereal there is a chance that they will become constipated and introducing water to their diets helps to alleviate and even prevent constipation. After six months of age parents should begin acclimating their babies to drinking water either from a bottle or a sippy cup. At this stage they can be drinking between four and eight ounces of water per day in addition to their formula or breast milk feedings. Doctors advise that a practical way to increase a baby’s intake of water is to add one cup for each birthday. For example, at two years of age a typical baby should drink two cups of water each day.

In the summer months it is vital that toddlers drink enough water to keep them from getting dehydrated. Long stroller naps in the sun or at the pool can cause the baby to become dehydrated. Signs of possible dehydration include wrinkly skin, less bowel movements, less than six wet diapers a day, sleepiness when awake, and hands and feet feeling cool to the touch even though the weather is warm.

What About Teens and Kids?

Teens and children should be drinking between six and eight cups of water per day. This age group will not necessarily realize that they are on the verge of dehydration and when you ask one of them to have a drink of water, they may say they are not thirsty. Yet, if they have the following signs they could be on the verge of dehydration, and no one wants to wait for the child to pass out before realizing what the problem is.

The symptoms of children and teen dehydration include rapid pulse, sticky mouth (or the tongue feeling as if it sticks to the top of the mouth), dark urine with sporadic urination. It’s challenging to get young children to stop playing to go to the bathroom but if they tell you or you notice dark urine immediately hydrate them. You may just catch their lack of water before they actually need to be rushed to the hospital.

Adults’ Water Consumption

Some of us are quite active either walking, running or doing strenuous exercise. There are various large cups with lids to measure your intake, but a regular water bottle is still the simplest way go, and the portion size is clearly stated on the bottle’s label. According to the Institute of Medicine:

1: Men should drink about three liters or thirteen cups of water each day while the recommendation for women is nine cups or about two liters each day. Variable lifestyles such as excessive exercisers or runners, mothers who are breastfeeding (twelve cups) and pregnant women (ten cups per day) will determine the right amount for you.

2: Fruit such as watermelon and vegetables that are filled with water also help to fill the daily requirements of water. Try not to put too much salt on the vegetables because salt can decrease the effectiveness of the vegetable’s water content.

3: People are confused as to the advantages of drinking caffeinated drinks such as coffee. Coffee increases the need to urinate (just ask any long-distance truck driver). Yet coffee cannot be counted towards the daily water count.

4: People who exercise enjoy adding sports drinks to their daily diet. It’s true that these drinks contain such nutrients such as potassium, electrolytes and calcium but they will add sugar or artificial sweeteners to the diet. For extreme athletes they are beneficial but for the average person stick to water to get hydrated.

5: Some people find it hard to drink water. Some hacks are adding natural flavors such as fresh lemon or lime juice, mint leaves or sliced cucumbers, drinking room temperature water and sucking on ice cubes. Unfortunately, ice cubes fall short on the mark for the number of ounces suggested for adult water consumption.

Can Water Bottles be Stored Safely in the Car?

Instead of keeping a case of spring water bottles in your trunk, keep a case indoors by your front door or whichever door you generally leave the house from. Quality water company bottles are made without those chemicals that the cheaper bottles have. There are chemical bonds that are contained in typical water bottles that break down in high heat. The FDA claims that these are too tiny to cause health problems. However, it’s fine if you leave one bottle in the car every so often but avoid keeping the case in the trunk. Just as you would not leave other perishable groceries in the car long term, treat your water bottles the same way. Try to dispose of your used water bottle and avoid reusing it.

Final Words

In the 1960’s there was a popular phrase, the generation gap, that explained why teens and young adults should not trust anyone over thirty. This policy that the younger generation owned the world has teetered down to the next generation where children are not respecting their elders properly. This is a topic for a different article but the reason I am touching it is because there is a serious generation gap between seniors and the next generation when it comes to water consumption and disposable water bottles. I doubt anyone will remember jelly jars used for glasses, but you can get the idea that not only is the older generation perplexed about throwing away a bottle after one use, but they cannot fathom paying for water when you can get it free from the tap.

An effective way of showing the elderly why it is so important to use bottled water would be by testing the tap water themselves. There are labs that do it or home kits that will show you the impurities in the home’s tap water. Besides the dilemma of seniors who don’t want to pay for bottled water, they are in danger of becoming dehydrated and ending up in the hospital emergency room for an infusion. So too we must remind our children and teens to make sure to drink enough water even in cold weather. Water is a resource that G-d has given us, let’s use it properly and wisely.

The controversy about plastic bags and plastic bottles has been going on for as long as we can remember. Some older folks will remember the times when soda and seltzer were sold in return glass bottles, and no one even thought about an alternative. As disposables became more popular, be it flatware or drinking bottles, this alternative became popular doing away with glass as the main receptacle of liquids in stores.

Yes, we are now officially called the disposable society and as much as conservationists try to campaign for green beliefs, we cannot seem to get away from throwing away our food and drink receptacles. Even holdovers such as Snapple brands who continue to bottle their drinks in glass cannot get their consumers to hold on to the glass bottles and those bottles are thrown away after a single use. It seems that plastic drinking containers are here to stay as people continue not to leave their homes without them.

There are different grades of both the exterior and interior of water bottles and we will try to find out exactly what the best dispensers for our personal thirst quenchers are. The most publicized three letters when it comes to plastic types is BPA.

What Exactly are BPA and BPA Free Plastics?

Since the 1950’s plastics have been made from the industrial chemical called BPA or Bisphenol A. This chemical is known to interrupt the way our endocrine system operates disrupting our body’s hormone operation. This chemical can intrude and harm organs such as the heart, the reproductive system and cause excessive weight gain in certain individuals. The harmful effects increase as the containers are heated or tampered with, which is why in the past we were told not to leave our plastic water filled bottles in the trunk of the car in warm weather. The storage of plastic water bottles in the car trunk was convenient for folks who would not have to remember to bring a water bottle with them when going on outings such as biking or exercising.

Since finding out that the chemical Bisphenolis unhealthy many plastic manufacturers have been producing products that do not contain BPA. and some states have prohibited the use of drinkware such as baby sippy cups and bottles that contain BPA. When you see BPA-free on the label of filled or empty plastic drinkware it certainly is a good and safe choice. Some cheaper brands of bottled water may still be made with BPA. and that may be just as much a worry as what type of water is inside the bottle.

How to Identify Which Plastic Units are BPA-Free

It is always pertinent to become knowledgeable in what plastic products are made of. In the past this was not required, and manufacturers could use different grades of plastic with different components, and no one would be the wiser. When glass containers were being discontinued folks were wary of buying their liquids in plastic but as glass was phased out there was little to be done for the consumer themselves. The higher prices of glass items and the decrease in their availability led consumers as years passed to “forget” about the safety of glass containers and give in to their plastic counterparts.

Thankfully, organizations looking out for the safety of plastic products have introduced methods that consumers can find out what their plasticware is made of, whether it’s plastic flatware, dishes, or water bottles. By being able to read the symbols on the packages of different types of plasticware you can tell how much if any BPA. is present in the product. Each package of a plastic item should have a resin id code sometimes called the recycling symbol. There should be an arrow-shaped triangle on the bottom part of the item for you to read. Here are some examples of plastic recycling codes and their contents.

Code 1: PET, or polyethylene terephthalate which is used to make drink bottles, food containers and even fabrics. Free BPA. It is also easily recyclable.

Code 2: HDPE, or High-Density Polyethylene is a product used to make home cleaners and milk containers and is BPA-free.

Code 3: PVC, known as polyvinyl chloride, is used to make pipes, package materials and floors. These plastics contain BPA. and other harmful chemicals.

Code 4: LDPE, or Low-Density Polyethylene which is used to make plastic bags and plastic wrap for food storage and is generally BPA-free.

Code 5: PP, or polypropylene used for drugs and food packaging is not only BPA-free but also resists heat.

Code 6: PS, or Polystyrene used in foam products such as coffee cups and is BPA-free. Proceed with caution for very hot food because other chemicals can be radiated when containers are exposed to very high temperatures.

Code 7: OTHER, is for a variety of other plastic chemical compounds which must be researched on an individual basis and sometimes it will be necessary to contact the manufacturers to get further clarity.

In summary, even though a material may be BPA-free proceed with caution with high temperatures or products with code #3.

How Do Plastic Containers Compare to Glass Ones?

Many folks agree that at first glance glass containers are safer and more reliable as far as taste and quality of food or drink. Yes, glass is generally non-toxic and does not turn simple food or drink into chemically harmful substances even when stored at high temperatures. Drinks such as wine, Snapple, cold brewed coffee in shatterproof bottles offer a high-class alternative to plastic. Glass containers will not bend out of shape when on the shelf too long or become overheated. Glass used to be preferred by health-conscious individuals, but now plastic drink bottles are almost all BPA-free, especially the name brands.

One advantage of plastic over glass is the shipping expenses of transporting glass containers. Not only are they heavier than plastic but also more sensitive to breakage even though they are labeled shatter resistant. For those conservationists, shipping plastic will use less oil and gas which is certainly an important consideration with the high cost of fuel. When manufacturing plastic containers the point where plastic melts is lower than glass which uses less energy during the manufacturing stages.

Surprisingly, even though glass is made from natural resources and is recyclable it does take a long time to break up in landfills and on the beach. Most of us have come close to being cut by a shard of glass when walking barefoot on the beach. Glass cannot be “downcycled” as recyclable plastic which means that one plastic bottle can make another or even a pair of sneakers.

Although glass is still popular for carbonated drinks and wines when it comes to non-food items plastic is the sure winner. Who would tolerate lotions or shampoos in glass bottles? Most showers are made of ceramic tiles which is certainly a dangerous venue to keep glass and how will your child squeeze out the shampoo in a glass container?

BPA’s and The Law

No one wants to risk a family member’s health or life because of products containing BPA. As of this writing there has been no national ban on these plastic chemicals although they are forbidden in baby bottles and sippy cups.

The Food and Drug Administration rejected a petition calling for a ban on the use of BPA’s for food storage usage as of 2023. Even though scientists such as Tunde Akinleye have run tests to see how dangerous BPA’s are there still has been no official general ban on them. The state of California has authorized several laws against BPA.’s. For example, there is a preposition which requires warning labels on products consisting of substances such as BPA. According to California Proposition #65, any product consisting of more than one part per million must contain a warning label about BPA. Here are a few examples of people attempting to sue over the use of BPA.’s even though they are not illegal.

California, March 2018: There was a class action lawsuit filed against the company called Champion Pet Foods. The plaintiff’s claim was that on the package it was written that this dog food was “biologically appropriate”. That term was not enough for the plaintiffs to win the case which claimed that the dog food contained BPA. Champion Pet Foods won the case because the judge could not find enough evidence that the levels of BPA in the dog food were at a dangerous level.

California, June 2024: A Class action lawsuit was filed against Dr. Brown’s Baby Company (a subsidiary of Philips, North America and Handi-Craft) that the display of BPA-free labels were not explicit to the fact that when the bottles are heated they can release harmful chemicals. The lawsuit explained that even low exposure to low doses of microplastics can be very dangerous to infants, possibly affecting their nervous, immune, reproductive and circulatory systems. Even though these baby bottles were labeled BPA-free the lawsuit alleged that when heated the chemical makeup changed causing danger to the infants.

Final Words

It would be comforting to know that when a plastic container such as a water bottle is labeled BPA-free it means that they are safe for bodies and endocrine systems. However, as we have learned, different plastic items have different safety features. For example, baby bottles and sippy cups have their own regulations since infants are susceptible to injury even with low levels of harmful chemicals ingested. A baby bottle is safe when it’s at room temperature but as we have read in a recent lawsuit when the bottle is warmed chemicals are released and that’s dangerous. Of course, glass baby bottles would be the safest, but they are not practical when traveling or even in the kitchen with a ceramic floor.

Plastics are here to stay, and the good news is there are safety codes on most name brand items that explain which chemicals the water bottles are made of. BPA-free is a wonderful code but make sure you do not keep your water bottles in a hot car because the heat can cause certain chemicals to emerge. Plastics are more practical for transportation, saving gas and money. They are also recyclable and those people who bring them back to the store are helping our environment and planet stay safer. So many products today have labels that say,” made from recyclable material “and that’s a good thing. We must move forward and not look back at the times when we were not a disposable society. That will not change but what can change is how to be careful with the products we purchase by making sure they are BPA-free and keeping them out of highly heated venues.