Cheers to National Hydration Day! When being watered-down is the way to go

Microbiology and Life Science News Water and Fluid Separation News

June 17, 2022

Cheers to National Hydration Day! When being watered-down is the way to go

Eight cups, three liters, one gallon? Straight water or added vitamins and electrolytes? Everybody has an opinion on what it means to be hydrated. Drinking water every day helps regulate mood, keeps the body from overheating, and supports healthy skin and digestion. But staying hydrated without consistent access to clean drinking water can be a challenge.

Hydration in drought-prone areas

As climate change continues to intensify and cause devastating droughts and more frequent natural disasters, communities around the world are turning to new innovations to keep the taps full. It can be hard to imagine drought on a planet that is 70% covered with water, but only 3% of that water is freshwater and only 1.2% of that is accessible for drinking (1). Turning ocean water into freshwater, or desalination, might be an intuitive idea, but in practice it comes with a host of challenges. Desalination is very resource intensive. Energy costs alone can make up 50% of the total cost of producing desalinated water (2). The Middle East and North America have the largest desalination plants in the world, though North Africa and East Asia are also turning to desalination to relieve freshwater scarcity (3).

What about drought-prone areas that are not near to a coast? New technology is being used to harvest drinking water directly from the air. In 2021, researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland developed a condenser that allows them to produce water from the air without additional energy input, even in hot, sunny conditions (4). The device is made of a coated glass pane which stays cool by reflecting heat back into the atmosphere (5). Just like a cool water bottle on a hot day, water vapor from the air condenses on the pane and the water is trapped for use.

Emergency Hydration preparedness

From wildfires to earthquakes and floods to freezes - an emergency water supply is the most important component of a disaster preparedness kit. The Centers for Disease Control recommends storing at least 1 gallon of water per person per day for 3 days for hydration and sanitation (6). Increase the amount of water stored per person for hot climates and for people who are pregnant or sick. Opt for storing unopened, commercially bottled water. Bottled water is the safest and most reliable water source in an emergency.

Making water safe for storage

Store a bottle of liquid bleach for disinfecting, general cleaning, and sanitizing
Choose a container with a tightly closing lid and durable material.
Clean and sanitize any storage container with a bleach solution. Rinse or air-dry the container before filling with safe water.
Use a scoop to avoid contaminating the safe water supply, and avoid touching the inside of the container with your hands.
Label the safe water container as “drinking water”.
Store safe water at cool temperatures and away from direct sunlight.
Avoid storing safe water near toxic substances such as gasoline or pesticides.
Replace safe water supply every 6 months.

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