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What is Water?
Water, or H2O, is one of the most鈥痚ssential鈥痑苍诲鈥痯lentiful鈥痗ompounds on Earth. Existing in gaseous, solid, and liquid states, it is tasteless and odorless at room temperature.鈥�
Water has the important ability to dissolve other substances and its versatility as a solvent is one of the qualities that makes it essential to living organisms. Access to cleaner, more reliable water is essential so that humans can thrive. Keep reading to gain an understanding of:
- where water鈥痗omes from
- how it鈥痝ets to a home
- how it鈥痗an impact your family as well as appliances鈥痺ithin a household
Where Water Comes from and How it Benefits You
UNDERSTAND HOW WATER GETS TO US AND HOW IT BENEFITS OUR HEALTH
The Hydrological Cycle and Water Distribution
The hydrological cycle, or鈥痺ater cycle, is a continual four-step process whereby water circulates through our environment.聽
Watch the video below to learn more.鈥�
The water we consume and use every day comes from two main sources:鈥�groundwater鈥痑苍诲鈥�surface water.
Groundwater
Surface Water
When rain or melting snow seeps into the ground, it鈥痗ollects in underground pockets called aquifers, which store the groundwater. Groundwater usually comes from aquifers through a drilled well or natural spring.
Surface water flows through or collects in streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and oceans 鈥� not underground like groundwater.鈥�
Surface water can be beautiful, even pristine looking, but鈥痬ost of it isn鈥檛 directly fit for drinking.
70% of the Earth's surface is water.
3% of our water is freshwater.
1% of that freshwater is usable for humans.
Common uses for water
There are聽three ways聽we use water:
Agriculture
water for work
drinking
How do you use water in your home?
We'll focus on鈥痺ater for work鈥痑苍诲鈥痙rinking water. Drinking water is the most obvious way we use water daily, but we also use water around our households to complete tasks and keep things running smoothly.鈥�
A typical American uses about鈥�. If that sounds like a lot, consider that the total includes not just drinking water, but also the water used for washing, watering lawns and waste disposal.
Types of water delivery
How does water get to you?
Water is delivered to your home one of two ways: through your city鈥痮谤鈥痑 well.聽Typically, pipes bring the water supply from a facility that treats the water to your home or business. A well-built and maintained distribution system of pipes helps ensure its quality.
Municipal Water
Well Water
Raw鈥痑苍诲鈥�untreated water鈥痠s obtained from an underground aquifer (usually through wells) or from a surface water source, like a lake or river.
It is pumped, or flows, to a 鈥�treatment facility. Once there, the water is pre-treated to鈥�remove debris鈥痩ike leaves and silt.
Then, a sequence of treatment processes, including filtration and disinfection with chemicals or physical methods, purifies the water.
When the treatment is complete, water鈥�flows out into the community聽through a network of pipes and pumps that are commonly referred to as the distribution system.
Municipalities sometimes add chlorine to water as a鈥�disinfectant, to get rid of certain contaminants.
A well is a鈥�strategically placed access point鈥痙rilled into an aquifer, combined with a鈥痯ump鈥痶o withdraw the water and a basic filtering or screening system.
础辫辫谤辞虫颈尘补迟别濒测鈥�15% of the US population鈥痳elies on individually owned sources of drinking water, such as wells, cisterns, and springs.
The majority of household wells are found in鈥�rural鈥痑reas. Unlike municipal water, water quality from household wells is the鈥�responsibility of the homeowner.
We are water Experts
Water quality is non-negotiable. To prove it, we've built state-of-the-art water quality labs and filled them with the best and brightest scientists 鈥� all so we can provide you with the best water of your life.
Water Bottles
There has been growing awareness of the impact of water bottles and plastic on the鈥�environment, but these are still popular choices for consumers.鈥��
Learn additional information about bottled water below.鈥�
The source of this water can be a聽municipal water聽蝉测蝉迟别尘鈥痮谤听natural spring聽and from there may go through additional purification.鈥�
According to Green.Harvard.edu 鈥� bottled water is about 3,000% more expensive per gallon than tap water.
Bottled water generally is鈥�. In fact, the federal government requires far more rigorous and frequent safety testing and monitoring of municipal drinking water.
Benefits of Filtered water
Water is essential. We need it for our survival.
Filtered water is even better.
Benefits to Health
Water keeps the body鈥痯erforming properly鈥�(Harvard Health Publishing, March 2020).
There are鈥痯hysical benefits鈥痶o energy, organ function, blood pressure, and circulation. Drinking water can:鈥�
- Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells
- Protect organs and tissues
- Regulate body temp
- Flush bacteria from the bladder
- Aid in digestion
- Maintain electrolyte (sodium balance)
- Cushion joints
- Stabilize heartbeat and normalize blood pressure.
Benefits to Home
Not only is high-quality water good for you but it is better for your鈥痟ome and appliances鈥痶oo. 鈥�
High-quality water in your home helps with:鈥�
- Appliance longevity
- Maintenance of appliance efficiency
- Flow rate through less build-up
How Does Good Water Benefit Appliances?
Water Heaters
Dishwashers
Faucets and Showerheads
Washing Machines
A study found that when using softened water, units maintained their original factory efficiency rating for 15 years. Running hard water through the unit cut efficiency by 48%.
When run 30 days for 240 cycles, washers using softened water were nearly free of scale buildup. Using softened water keeps up efficiency and protracts the expected longevity of the appliance.
When running hard water through faucets and showerheads, the flow rate is lowered. This is because scale is built up over time.
Another positive to softened water is that your laundry detergent use can be reduced by up to 50% and you can move to colder water without drop in performance.
Source: The Water Quality Research Foundation in conjunction with the Battelle Memorial Institute (2009). 鈥淏enefits of Removal of Water Hardness from a Water Supply.鈥�
What's in your water?
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Worried about your water? Take control with our at-home water test kit. We'll analyze your water and recommend the best filtration or softening solution for your specific needs.
