Water Quality & Home Filtration Resource Center

Many believe drinking more water can help the skin look healthier and more youthful. It’s a very appealing theory since it suggests that something as easy as a daily habit could affect how our skin looks as we age.The reality is somewhat different.Research supports the need for hydration for overall health and healthy skin, and water makes up about 50% to 65% of body weight, so total fluid needs matter. Water plays a variety of roles in the human body, including supporting the skin's structure and barrier function. Skin cells depend on water to transport nutrients and eliminate waste. With...

Have you ever traveled to a place, taken a sip of tap water, and thought, "This tastes different from the tap water I am used to drinking"?  Well, actually, you are not imagining things. One thing people notice when they travel is that tap water does not taste the same as it does at home.  In some places, tap water tastes crisp and refreshing. Tap water may have a slightly sweet, earthy, metallic, or noticeably chlorinated taste.   Sometimes the difference in the taste of tap water is small. The other times, though, the difference in tap water taste is the first thing you notice when...

  People often think of water shortages as a problem of deserts. Or perhaps places with long droughts. Areas with lots of rain do not usually come to mind, right? After all, it rains almost every week. So, it is really easy to think there will always be enough water. That's why many people ask: if we get so much rain, why do we need to save water? But honestly, the answer isn't straightforward. Rain doesn't instantly become drinking water. Before it reaches our homes, it needs to be collected, cleaned, stored, and delivered through this giant system of pipes. So, yes,...

Choosing between the Big Berkey Water Filter and the Royal Berkey usually comes down to one main question: how much filtered water does your household use each day? Both systems are stainless-steel, countertop, gravity-fed filtration systems. Both use Black Berkey® Elements. Both operate without electricity, plumbing, or water pressure. The biggest difference is capacity. The Big Berkey holds 2.25 gallons, while the Royal Berkey holds 3.25 gallons. For most households of 1–4 people, the Big Berkey Water Filter is the best balance of size, capacity, price, and countertop convenience. The Royal Berkey is better for households that want more stored filtered...

Reliable drinking water is something most people expect without giving it much thought. It flows from the tap every day, and under normal circumstances, there is little reason to think about what happened before it reached the kitchen sink. That everyday convenience depends on an extensive network of treatment plants, pumping stations, storage facilities, transmission mains, and neighborhood distribution pipes. Much of this infrastructure has been operating for decades. Utilities continue to inspect, repair, and upgrade these systems, but age inevitably changes the work required. Equipment lasts only so long, and keeping older systems operating reliably often calls for more maintenance,...

A good rain can feel like a fresh start. It helps plants grow, cools everything down, and fills up rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. So, of course, a lot of people think that rain automatically makes the water better. But honestly? Sometimes, after a really big storm, the opposite happens.   When rain falls quickly, and the ground can't soak it up, the excess water starts flowing across the land. As it moves, it picks up dirt, fertilizer, dog poop, leaves, and dirt from the roads.     And yes, it carries all that into the water. So, what ends up in a river or...

People know that eating well, staying active, and getting enough sleep are important parts of healthy aging. Regular checkups are important, too. But honestly, one thing people often forget is to drink enough water.  Drinking water is simple, though. Water helps your body do many things every day. Water supports digestion, helps move nutrients through your body, and regulates your temperature. It keeps your body running smoothly from day to day.    When you do not drink water, even small things can feel more tiring than usual. You can literally feel this in your throat.  As people get older, drinking water can become a little harder...

Bottled water is something we all buy without thinking. We might pick up a case when we go grocery shopping every week.  We grab a bottle on our way to work after exercising or while doing chores. It seems like a normal or cheap thing to buy, especially when it only costs a few dollars.  When we buy something every day, those small costs can quietly add up. Drinking water is not something we buy once in a while, after all.  We buy it again and again throughout the year. Since the cost is spread out over purchases, it's easy...

Most people think about exercise and food when they want to lose weight. Water usually gets ignored. It feels like a not-so-big deal, so people push it aside. Yet, your body really needs water, especially when you work out.  Even a little bit of dehydration can make a difference. If you lose 2 percent of your body water, it can affect how well you do in your workouts. You might feel more tired, slower, or weaker. That can change how long you exercise and how hard you try.  If you are trying to manage your weight, this is important. Drinking...

Can Drinking More Water Help You Lose Weight? What Science Says Water is often called a weight loss trick. You have probably heard it before. Just drink water, and the weight will go away. It sounds easy. Almost too easy.  So it is fair to ask. Does it really work? The truth is a bit more realistic. Water will not melt fat by itself. It will not replace eating a healthy diet or exercising regularly. It can still help in ways that are easy to miss.  For example, drinking water can help you feel more in control of your hunger....

You probably do not think about what you drink every day. A soda with lunch, a milk tea in the afternoon, maybe a bottled juice or an energy drink when you feel tired. It feels normal. It is part of your routine, right?  What often gets missed is this: drinks add up. Not just in sugar. In calories, too.  Most of the time, people do not even count them. You might be careful with your meals. Those extra drinks quietly add up.  Over time, that can make a difference. Not overnight. Little by little. It is one of those habits...

Many Americans consume drinks every day without giving it much thought. Drinks like soda, sweet tea, sports drinks, energy drinks, flavored coffee, and juice drinks are a part of daily life now. These drinks are easy to buy and easy to drink. People get used to them pretty quickly. For many people, these drinks seem harmless, especially if they have been drinking them for a long time.   The thing is, these drinks add a lot of sugar to the diet, and most people do not even realize it. Sugary drinks are the source of extra sugar in the American diet....

New parents quickly learn that small daily choices can feel much bigger once a baby arrives. One of those choices is the water used for drinking, cooking, and preparing infant formula. For many families, tap water is part of everyday life. It comes from the kitchen faucet, looks clear, and is used without much thought. For adults and older children, that is usually a normal routine. For infants, especially newborns or babies who drink powdered formula daily, parents may want to pay closer attention to water quality, plumbing, and preparation practices.  In many U.S. communities, municipal tap water is monitored...

How to Store Drinking Water at Home: A Practical Household Guide Drinking water is part of nearly every household routine, from making coffee and preparing meals to filling reusable bottles and pet bowls. Keeping a practical amount at home can make those routines easier during plumbing work, temporary service interruptions, busy weeks, or changes in household needs. A useful household water plan does not need to be complicated. Start with an amount your family can store and rotate comfortably, choose appropriate containers, and review the supply regularly. Why Keep Extra Drinking Water at Home? Household water access depends on local...

Kids and teenagers are always on the go. They have sports practice and some other school stuff. They spend a lot of time outdoors, so their bodies expend a lot of energy every day.   When it is hot, or they are working out hard, they also lose a lot of fluids because they sweat heavily. This is why it is really important for athletes to drink plenty of fluids. If they do not drink enough, they can get lethargic.    That can make them feel tired, slow them down while playing sports, and make it harder for them to pay attention in...

Every morning, kids head out the door with their school bags, snacks, and a favorite water bottle in hand. Some water bottles are bright and colorful. Some water bottles have straws or fun designs. It feels like an everyday thing that parents do without much thought.  Lately, though, more families are starting to pause and ask a simple question. Are these water bottles really safe? You might see labels like "BPA" on water bottles and feel reassured. That helps.    But still, it does not tell the whole story about the water bottles. There is more being discussed now, such as microplastics...

When people turn on the tap at home, they usually think the water is safe to drink. Sometimes, small amounts of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium can enter the water.    The thing is, you cannot see these metals, and you cannot taste them either. So yes, they can cause health problems over time. Even without you knowing.   These heavy metals can get into the water in a few ways. For example, old pipes and fixtures in the house can release amounts of metals into the water.   In some places, the problem starts underground, where natural...

How Global Conflicts Can Affect Everyday Resources Like Water and Energy You might have noticed that your electricity bill is increasing for no apparent reason. You might have heard about water issues in other places and wondered whether they could happen to you.   These things might seem far away from being a problem. The truth is, everything in the world is connected in ways that we do not always notice.  The electricity, water, and food we use every day all depend on one another. We need electricity to pump water and clean it.    We need fuel to transport things from one...

You pack lunch. You check the homework. You remind your child to pay attention to you and do their best. But the teacher still notes wandering attention, incomplete tasks, or difficulty remembering instructions. It is not strange to ask, "Are they tired?" Distracted? Not trying hard enough?  But what would happen when the actual problem is far simpler? The new studies indicate that mild dehydration may significantly impair a child's concentration, short-term memory, and overall cognitive function. Even in a classroom where sustained attention is needed - to listen to instructions, solve problems, read critically, etc. - lack of sufficient water can...

World Water Day is observed every year on March 22. It is a reminder that access to clean, affordable drinking water remains a serious challenge for many communities around the world. For many households in the United States, water concerns may feel far away. Treated municipal water usually flows from the tap every day, and it is easy to assume that home drinking water is always consistent. However, older pipes, environmental pollution, seasonal changes, and local infrastructure issues can still affect the water that reaches your glass. World Water Day is a good time to think about water not only...