Wealth in Water

Why clean and safe trumps fortified hydration options

- Neelanjana Singh

AMONG ALL THE NECESSITIES for survival, water is the most indispensable. It accounts for nearly 60 per cent of an adult human’s body weight and is key to keeping every cell and organ in the body functional. But despite its critical importance to our health, most of us fail to drink enough water through the day, which means chronic dehydration is a common wellness issue faced by both adults and children. Inadequate water intake alters the body’s chemistry and metabolism, causes toxins to build up and leads to poor skin vitality, fatigue, laboured breathing, impaired cognition as well as a host of other problems.

While a small section of the affluent population can splurge on fancy potable water, for the rest of India, getting access to safe drinking water is a top concern. Tap water might be okay to drink in some developed countries, but in India water processed for drinking can contain a range of harmful substances, such as microplastic compounds and heavy metals.