Water, water everywhere: But is it good to drink?
Filtered water may be the healthiest option
Wellness professionals are well aware of the importance of encouraging employees to drink water — and lots of it. But they should be making an even bigger effort in this area, especially in terms of the kind of water employees are drinking.
That’s the assertion of Lewis Schiffman, president of Atlanta Health Systems, a wellness consulting firm.
"People need to be drinking a minimum of six to eight glasses a day, but many employees believe that’s six glasses of liquid, which could include coffee, cola drinks, — which also contain caffeine — and other sugared beverages," he notes. "All of these cause a person to dehydrate, as well as having other adverse effects. These other beverages — particularly the caffeinated ones — pull essential nutrients and minerals out of the body. Dehydration also causes fatigue and an inability to concentrate, both of which lead to costly errors and injuries. The sugared drinks are also addictive and will contribute to people overeating to try recapture lost nutrients."
But does it really matter what kind of water employees drink, as long as they get their six or eight glasses a day?
"Absolutely," says Schiffman. "Although we operate with the belief that tap water is safe, what we fail to realize is that it contains disinfection by-products, which according to the National Cancer Institute and the Environmental Protection Agency are known carcinogens, parasites, lead, and arsenic, all of which contribute to disease. The parasites and other microorganisms are said to be responsible for as much as 10% of the gastrointestinal problems that occur in this country."1
It is particularly important, he adds, to advise anyone with a compromised immune system, the elderly, or children, not to drink tap water.
Is bottled water the answer?
Many corporations make bottled water available to employees through vending machines or company cafeterias. Is that a satisfactory solution? Schiffman’s answer is a qualified "maybe."
"People have the belief that bottled water is a better choice, and in many cases, it is," he observes. "However, the bottled water industry is totally unregulated and oftentimes what you are getting is water with an exotic name that comes from a municipal water source, and has varying degrees of filtration and purification and varying degrees of contaminants. So one ought to be circumspect about what type of bottled water one drinks."
It’s important, he says, to note the source of the water on the label. "Spring water’ is obviously better than drinking water,’" Schiffman says, "but even all springs are not totally pure. Spring water generally comes from more remote, more pristine kinds of environments. However, because environmental problems such as pesticides and fertilizer get into ground water and because of illegal unknown dumping of toxic waste, these contaminants can get into the underground spring water, as well."
When choosing a specific bottled water brand, says Schiffman, look at additional forms of purification that the water has undergone to assure that it’s free of contaminants. The bottle should be labeled with reference to terms such as "reverse osmosis," "ultraviolet," "ozonization," and "micron-filtered." "Reverse osmosis is probably the most effective purification system," Schiffman says.
Filtration system preferable
The best option for ensuring that the water your employees drink is healthy is to install a water filtration system, says Schiffman. "You can have control over the degree of filtration and be assured that your system is working effectively by having it serviced and using inexpensive testing units," he explains. "Wellness professionals should install proper water filters at the work site, and especially in fitness centers, as well as encouraging employees to use them at home. This will both reduce the risk of illness and encourage people to drink more water, because it tastes better."
Again, says Schiffman, the reverse osmosis system will probably remove the most contaminants. "To be totally sure of getting everything, you’d probably want to have a sediment filter, a carbon filter and membrane filter and then expose it to ultraviolet light," he advises.
Water filtration systems can be expensive; they run between $200 and $500 for single-home units, or $1,000 for a whole-house unit. At the work site, a single unit would be approximately $1,000. "You could set one up at a central area on each floor," says Schiffman. "You could also have bottleless water coolers, which will use the same water source but will purify it."
If employees can’t afford a home system, or if an employer won’t invest in a filtration system for the work site, does that mean these employees are drinking unhealthy water? "I’m not saying that all bottled water is bad," Schiffman observes. "However, if the choice is to buy bottled water rather than a filtration system, it would be wise to have the water tested for the previously mentioned contaminants rather than being charmed by the water’s name, packaging or claims of purity.
"Perhaps one of most difficult questions is, if a person doesn’t want to get a filter, should they still drink water? My answer is I’m not sure, although if the choice comes down to [impure] water, sugared sodas, or sport drinks containing artificial colors and chemicals, or coffee, perhaps water is the better choice."
Reference
1. Schwartz J. Harvard School of Public Health. Community health. J Epidemiol 2000; 54:45.
• Lewis Schiffman, Atlanta Health Systems, 2516 Wowona Drive, Atlanta, GA 30319. Telephone: (404) 636-9437.
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