Living Water
Although water covers 70% of the earth, fresh, clean, drinkable water, is another story. Yes, water has presented a dilemma to me for a long time. After a decade of living in New York City, trying to avoid the chlorine and fluoride flowing from my tap, I got accustomed to drinking bottled water.
There are many reasons for not wanting to rely on bottled water, beyond the money it takes out of my pocket. When one takes into account the bigger picture, it’s not hard to see that there are even greater costs. It takes roughly 50 million barrels of oil annually to produce the 22 billion water bottles that end up being thrown away each year. They litter the landscape and pollute our rivers, streams, and oceans.
Not only is there a cost to the environment, but also to our health. A study conducted by the non-profit organization Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested the top 10 brands of bottled water and found 38 pollutants including disinfectants, pharmaceuticals, caffeine, fluoride, radioactive isotopes, arsenic, nitrates, and chemical solvents. Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Choice tested above the legal limit for trihalomethanes, a cancer-causing chemical. Many plastic bottles also contain bisphenol A, or BPA, which is an endocrine disruptor and has been linked to many serious health problems, including cancer.
Now that I no longer live in the city, and after considering the problems with bottled water, I want another source. Unfortunately, many of these same contaminants have been found in tap water. I want healthy, living, water, as nature intended, not dead, processed, stagnant water, in the same way that I want fresh, unadulterated food. Recently, a friend told me about an online database http://www.findaspring.com where you can search for a spring near you. This brought back memories from my childhood, of driving out to the country to bottle up at a fresh, flowing spring. The water was crisp and clear – what a treat!
Unfortunately, the nearest spring listed on the website was 40 minutes away, so I started to ask around. It wasn’t long before I was led to a spring that the locals swear by. Down a dirt road to the trail head, the spring is only a couple minutes’ walk from the car. The water supply land is protected, being that it is home to one of NY’s aqueducts. The water is clear and energizing. I tested the PH which was around 6 – 6.25, the closer to neutral (7 PH), the better. I also ordered a TDS meter to test the total dissolved solids contained in the water. If the reading is good (the lower the better), I will be very happy to drink this water as much as possible!
I am also happy to be able to share this with my daughter, to teach her the water cycle and the ways of the earth. We go to the earth, and give thanks for the living water that flows forth from this spring, which purifies our cells and gives us health and vitality.
What are your thoughts? Are you happy with the water you’re drinking?
Sources:
http://www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html
http://www.container-recycling.org/media/newsarticles/plastic/2006/5-WMW-DownDrain.htm
http://www.ewg.org/news/sf-chron-some-bottled-water-toxicity-shown-exceed-law-0