Did You Know? Fun Facts About Water!

Water is all around us. We drink it. We cook with it. We bathe with it and wash our clothes. Water is essential for life, and it is also a large part of our fun. We swim in water. We go out on our boats. We head to water parks to hit up the big water slides and float down the lazy river. Have you ever really thought about how important the two hydrogen and one oxygen molecules are? Here are some fun facts about water to get you thinking!

Fun Water Facts!

• There is the same amount of water on earth now as there was when the earth was formed. Water is continually recycled with the hydrological cycle. The ocean water you swim in today could be the same water the Mayflower floated on when it crossed the Atlantic Ocean on its way to America, and you could be drinking the same water that a brontosaurus drank! This is also how water can get contaminated before reaching your home. After rain falls to the Earth, the water travels through the ground eroding the rock and minerals and bringing it along for the ride.
• Adult bodies are made up of 55-60% water. Newborn babies’ bodies are comprised of 78% water. That is why it is important to stay hydrated with quality water. If you’re ever feeling a sluggish, take a drink of water to refuel your body!
• A living tree is 75% water, so don’t forget to give your landscaping regular drinks of water as well.
• The human brain is 75% water. That means our brain needs more water to function than the rest of our body. Keep your mind sharp, alert, and focused by staying hydrated.  
• A person can live an entire month without food but can only survive about a week without water. Water is crucial to how many of our bodily functions operate. If they can’t get water, they begin to shut down and can no longer support the basic needs of our bodies.
• One gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds. That’s pretty heavy! In order to move water from one place to another, it requires a lot of force and pressure. When you have a low water pressure situation in your home, remember that water is heavy so it might need a little boost every now and then.
• The first water pipes in the United States were made from hollowed out logs. This was in Boston in 1652, and the water was used for firefighting and domestic use. Thankfully, we have found more reliable ways over the years to transport water. Unfortunately, sometimes it isn’t until later that we realize certain materials may not be ideal for using around water, like plumbing with lead pipes for instance. Cities with older infrastructures may still have distribution pipes or homes that still have lead in their plumbing and recommend that homeowners filter their water before consumption. As an authorized WaterCare dealer, we offer multiple solutions that are certified for lead reduction.
• It takes approximately 20 gallons of water to make one pint of beer. If you’re a beer enthusiast, it’s worth every drop! A good beer starts with good water. Chemicals and contaminants that could be traveling in your water will affect the taste and chemistry of the brewing process.
• The average American home uses 100,000 gallons of water every year. It sounds like a lot, but when you think about running the dishwasher, flushing toilets, showering, all the loads of laundry, washing your car, or watering your lawn you start to see how water usages can add up fast. It helps our lives run smoother and is important in our day to day routines.
• Water is essential for life. There are many things that can live in just one drop of ocean water. This can include millions of bacteria and viruses, fish eggs, baby crabs, plankton, or small worms.
• One average gallon of ocean water contains one cup of salt. That’s why it’s not recommended to drink ocean water. Your body has a hard time processing high levels of salt and usually relies on fresh water to help flush out the excess in urine.  
• 71% of Americans drink tap water. Tap water is a great way to get a convenient cup of water and helps reduce the need for buying bottled water, but tap water may not be ideal either, depending on what is in it. It’s important to have your tap water tested to see if you should install a filtration solution before drinking from your faucets.
• Only 22% of Americans drink 8 or more cups of water a day. It can be hard to get the recommended amount of water on a daily basis with all the other options out there for fruit juices or sodas. If you’d rather reach for a flavored beverage, it may be because you don’t like the taste of your water. There are many contaminants that can affect your water’s taste that can be removed by simply filtering it first.

Sources: Environmental Protection Agency, NSF, NASA, treehugger.com, Chicago Tribune 

The Importance of Your Water

Whether it’s flowing through your pipes or filling up your glass, water touches our lives in many ways. If you have any concerns about how your water is treating you, give us a call today! We’ll have one of our trained technicians test your water to see what’s all in it and recommend the right water treatment plan for you. We have a full line of WaterCare Drinking Water solutions to make sure you are staying hydrated with the highest quality of water possible, as well as many whole-home water softening and filtration solutions so your family can have the great water it deserves.