Virtual Water Virtual water is the water embodied in the production of food and fiber and non-food commodities, including energy. For example, it requires about 1300 tons (cubic meters) of water to produce a ton of wheat.

A daily vegetarian diet for an adult requires 1200 litres of water to produce, a meat based diet requires 16000 litres of water for a day of food.

For each kg produced; rice requires 2300 litre, wheat 1400, coffee 21000, beef 15,500, butter 18000, cotton 8250, jeans 10850, wool 200000 & biodiesel 9000.

“Two-thirds of the water’s population is projected to face water scarcity by 2025, according to the united nations.”

With increasing commerce and productions worldwide, it is imperative that our water treatment plants be of high efficiency and produce as less rejected water as possible.

Water: A “Matter” of Its Composition Water behaves very differently in different conditions, its physical manifestations change drastically depending on the temperature. But a lesser known fact is that even those properties are subject to change as new compounds or elements are added to it.

The freezing point of water lowers as the amount of salt dissolved in it increases. With average levels of salt, sea water freezes at – 2 degree celsius.

Flavour of water is defined by its contributing compounds within the water. Our chemosensory system informs our brain about the chemical composition of an object through a process called transduction. The particulate minerals present within the water are picked up by our taste receptors.

The four most common taste perceptions recognized by humans are relative to the chemical composition of the compound; bicarbonates, sulfates, calcium & magnesium. Thus, by varying the quantities of the constituents of water we can change the flavour of water. A relatively simple process for an experienced water technician.

The “TDS” Myth Most commonly one may hear someone say that ‘if the TDS of water is high it’s unhealthy for consumption’. This cannot be further from the truth. Water, from different sources, can have many different forms of material mixed into it through natural processes. These can be either good or bad for human consumption.

TDS is simply ‘total dissolved solids’, measured by the unit ‘PPM’. PPM is ‘parts per million’ and it is what it says; for every million parts of water, one part is of some other compound. Whether that part is of benefit or harm to humans is a mystery surrounded by misconception & partial knowledge.

Sewage water, spring water & milk; all have two things in common. They have high TDS and their primary constituent is water. But only two are fit for consumption. What makes sewage water worse for consumption than the other two is the microbiological & chemical matter present within it. Dissolved solids in a liquid are filtered, as per requirement of our body, by the kidneys and if there is too much TDS in a liquid consumed the kidneys would have to overwork. It is also important to note that TDS is an estimated measurement conceived by measuring the conductivity of water. Conductivity of water is relative to dissolved ionized solids such as salts & minerals. These also contribute to the flavour of the water.

So a quick trivia; generally spring water is considered healthier than PDW(packaged drinking water), but a common PDW bottle in the market has around 4 to 100 PPM of TDS & spring water has around 250-300 PPM. Then why is spring water better even with higher levels of TDS? It’s because spring water has calcium, magnesium, sodium & potassium as minerals in it; minerals that are beneficial for use in various bodily functions.

The “Alkali Water” Misbelief Another common misbelief going around the web is that alkali water is good for health. But it definitely is not! Although considered safe for consumption, alkaline water produces a lot of negative side effects.

One big side effect is that consuming alkaline water lowers the natural stomach acidity. Stomach acidity is imperative to killing bacteria and expel undesirable pathogens from entering the bloodstream. Even the mucus in our respiratory system, which traps all the bacteria and pathogens collected from air while breathing, is moved by cilia, swallowed and subsequently digested; thus killing the harmful micro organisms collected during respiration.

As stated by Forbes “If there is one virtually free substance we continue to masterfully monetize, it’s water.” Alkali water is one such way to monetize water. A brief excerpt by Nina Shapiro from Forbes may shed some light, “Alkaline water has been added to the “detox” list. Perhaps one of the most brilliant marketing terms of the ever-growing multi-billion dollar sinkhole of the wellness industry is “detox.” And alkaline water has jumped on that bandwagon. Assuming one has functioning kidneys (even one kidney will do), a liver, intestines, and sweat glands, detox is a done deal. And it’s free. Our bodies are built to withstand variations in our intake (so eat that spicy meal, at least on occasion), output (you’ll pee more if you drink more), and exertion (your body will desire more water if you run that extra mile or two–that’s called ‘thirst’). You don’t need alkaline water to detox you.”

Additionally, a lesser known ailment can occur from high levels of alkalinity; Metabolic alkalosis. It is a condition when the pH of tissue is elevated beyond the normal range. This results in decreased hydrogen ion concentration, leading to increased bicarbonate. Symptoms can range from abnormal sensations & neuromuscular irritability to coma, seizures & waning confusion. One of the Chloride-responsive causes of metabolic alkalosis is the consumption or administration of alkalotic agents in excess i.e. antacids, alkali matter or alkali water.

In essence, our body takes care of the pH (hydrogen ion concentrations) problem all on its own. We do not need alkali water to fix a problem that doesn’t exist. Apart from the occasional antacid tablet for our bad eating habits.