Tag: drinking water

5 Delicious Ways to Drink More Water This Holiday Season

 

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, a joyful day when we reflect upon all we have and offer thanks. While we all enjoy some well-deserved time off with family, friends, and (of course) food, let’s not forget to drink our water. Staying hydrated offers a myriad of health benefits, including aiding in the digestion of our Thanksgiving feast. So take advantage of the fresh, clean water provided by our public water suppliers and brew up some healthful flavored waters. We have included some festive holiday recipes below to entice everyone in the family to drink more water. Happy Thanksgiving!

Rosemary-orange Workout WaterRosemary-Orange Water

Ingredients (serves 4):
8 whole sprigs fresh rosemary
4 whole slices fresh orange
4 scoop Ice
Water
Directions:
  1. Place two rosemary sprigs in each glass.
  2. Place one orange slice in each glass.
  3. Using a spoon, gently bruise the rosemary and orange by pressing.
  4. Fill glasses with ice; top with water and stir.
  5. Serve cold.

sassy spicedSassy Spiced Water

Ingredients (serves 16):
3 drops lemon essential oil
2 drops grapefruit essential oil
1 drop ginger essential oil
1 drop peppermint essential oil
1 drop cinnamon essential oil
1 gallon water
Ice
Lime wedges
Directions:
  1. Place drops of each essential oil into a gallon of cold water.
  2. Shake well to mix the flavors together.
  3. Pour over ice and garnish with lime. Enjoy!

peachesPeaches ‘n Cream Water

Ingredients (serves 8):
5 very ripe peaches, pitted and thinly sliced
8 vanilla beans sliced down the middle
2 T organic honey
2 liters of water
Directions:
  1. Warm the honey and stir into the water.
  2. Allow water and honey mixture to cool.
  3. Add in the peaches and vanilla beans to the water.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  5. Add ice to glasses and serve!

apple1Apple Cinnamon Water

Ingredients (serves 8):
1 organic apple, cored and thinly sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
Ice
2 liter pitcher of water
Directions:
  1. Add sliced apple and cinnamon to pitcher.
  2. Cover with ice.
  3. Fill the pitcher with water and allow it to set in the fridge for 15 minutes before drinking.

pomegranatePomegranate Blueberry Water

Ingredients (serves 8):
1 pint organic blueberries
1-2 cups pomegranate seeds
Ice
2 liters water
Directions:
  1. Add blueberries, pomegranate seeds, and water to pitcher.
  2. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
  3. Add ice to glasses just before serving.
  4. Add skewers of blueberries to each glass for a festive touch.

Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3)

glass water against sky smallUCMR3, which was signed into effect on April 16, 2012, is the third round of contaminant testing mandated by a 1996 amendment to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Once every five years, the EPA issues a list of up to 30 unregulated contaminants and requires all public water systems serving more than 10,000 people, as well as 800 representative public water supplies serving 10,000 or fewer and 800 public water supplies serving 1,000 or fewer, to monitor them.

The UCMR3 contaminants requiring monitoring are as follows:

Seven Volatile Organic Compounds
– trichloropropane
– butadiene
– chloromethane (methyl chloride)
– dichloroethane
– bromomethane (methyl bromide)
– chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22)
– bromochloromethane (halon 1011)

One Synthetic Organic Compound
– dioxane

Six Metals
– vanadium
– molybdenum
– cobalt
– strontium
– chromium
– chromium 6 (hexavalent chromium)

One Oxyhalide Anion
– chlorate

UCMR3 testing occurs between January 2013 and December 2015 and helps to determine the geographic prevalence and levels of these contaminants throughout the country. This information, combined with toxicological data, provides baseline data that the EPA uses to determine the necessity of future drinking water regulations.