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Maternal hydration and amniotic fluid volume

Every mother wants her children to grow up healthy and strong. Doing everything she can to ensure this happens begins long before she starts telling them to eat their vegetables or get some exercise. It begins in the womb, where the fetus needs proper care to grow strong as it develops.

Research indicates that one way you can help promote the health of your baby in utero is through staying well-hydrated. This is especially important because it can help prevent the development of an amniotic fluid deficiency.

This deficiency, called oligohydramnios, affects 2.3% of pregnant women.

Amniotic fluid levels change over time due to a number of factors. Maintaining sufficient fluid levels is vital to the health of both the mother and the fetus. The fetus ‘breathes’ this fluid, which helps its lungs form, and its ingestion helps in the formation of the gastrointestinal system. The amniotic fluid also acts as a cushion surrounding the fetus, protecting it from potential harm and giving it the opportunity to develop bones and a skeletal structure.

Without sufficient amniotic fluid, a pregnancy can face a number of potential complications. Oligohydramnios restricts the fetus’ growth, can create physical deformities, impairs the development of the heart and lungs, and can lead to meconium aspiration, among other problems.

While oligohydramnios can be the result of a number of factors, one way to potentially avoid this condition is simply by drinking more water.

[custom_blockquote style=”eg. green, yellow, purple, blue, red, black, grey”] What is the Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI)?

The AFI (score in cm) is approximate amount of amniotic fluid in the womb. It also serves as an index of the fetus’ well-being.

An AFI of 8-18 is considered normal, with a level of 5-6 indicating a state of oligohydraminios. Median AFI level is usually around 14 from week 20 to week 35, after which it begins to reduce in preparation for birth. [/custom_blockquote]

Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, Lis Maternity Hospital in Tel Aviv, and the University of Parma in Italy all found close association between increased hydration and an increase in the Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) in pregnant women with a low AFI. The studies included women consuming water both orally and through intravenous means.

In the Tel Aviv study, researchers examined the effects of increased hydration on 30 women with low AFI. The study group was compared to a control group of 30 women matched for age and gestational age, with normal AFI.

The results of the study were clear. AFI levels increased from 8.1 to 11.8 in just one week among the women with low AFI. The authors concluded that “long-term maternal oral hydration seems to significantly increase the AFI in selected women with reduced fluid and possibly prevents oligohydramnios.”

It’s always a good idea to stay hydrated, but this research indicates it’s especially important when you’re pregnant. Give your child a better chance to grow up healthy by staying hydrated when you’re pregnant. And, once you’ve had your baby, don’t stop there! Maintaining an adequate level of hydration is important your whole life, from in utero to your old age.

Maintaining the Body’s Water Balance… What is lost must be returned

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You are primarily made up of water. This is true of you and of every other person on the planet.

On average, adults are 60% comprised of water, while newborns can reach as high as 75% water. If we are to maintain our strength, well-being, and ability to function in our day to day life, it is essential that we sustain healthy levels of hydration.

The body needs to preserve its water balance in order to avoid dehydration. This means that for every drop of water released from the body, another must enter it. Keeping this ‘water homeostasis’ is extremely important for your health.

Water loss is a regular part of life. Sweating, urination and other bodily functions lead to the loss of water every day. These are normal processes that contribute to your body’s operation. More dramatic, yet still manageable, water loss can be the result of heavy physical activity or extreme heat. Whatever the causes, when your body loses water you become thirsty, which incentivizes you to look for water to rehydrate.

[custom_blockquote style=”eg. green, yellow, purple, blue, red, black, grey”] Did you know?

You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on your age, how active you are, the climate (temperature and relative humidity) you live in, your health status (illness, fever, vomiting or diarrhea) and whether you’re pregnant or breast-feeding. [/custom_blockquote]

While the body aims for homeostasis, it can still function at a water deficit. A 3-4% water decrease doesn’t cause problems for most people, while a 5-8% decline leads to fatigue and dizziness. By the time you reach a 10% deficit dehydration begins to have more severe effects, including physical and mental distress. A decrease in water levels of 15-25% is fatal.

Fortunately, when people have access to clean water, the body naturally regulates water levels through the feeling of thirst, which encourages you to drink when levels are low and reducing fluid excretion. Although “water intake and output are highly variable,” according to the European Hydration Institute (EHI), they are “closely matched to less than 0.1% over an extended period through homeostatic control.” Fatal levels of dehydration are usually the result of severe illnesses, such as cholera.

In order to increase your hydration and achieve homeostatic levels, there are three main sources of water ingestion. The primary source of water is from drinking water and other fluids; this accounts for 70-80% of water intake. Food is also a significant source of water, accounting 20-30% for most people. The final source is very small, with only 250-350 ml of your water intake coming from the oxidation of macronutrients.

Under most circumstances, the EHI finds that the average person loses and needs to replace approximately 2-3 litres of water a day. Your body regulates this process very well, and a loss of 1% of your total water will usually be returned within 24 hours.

Water is a vital component of our bodies. Nurture your body by staying hydrated and maintaining your water balance every day.

Our shared water monuments

(Photo credit: Slunia/Wikimedia Commons)

For millennia, people have marvelled at the beauty of water. In many of the world’s great cities, public fountains celebrate that most primary of resources: water.

In ancient and pre-modern societies, fountains served multiple purposes. Greek, Roman and Muslim societies were all known for their magnificent public and private fountains.

Fountains were often the end of aqueduct systems, which used gravity to bring fresh drinking water from rivers and streams into the cities. Greek fountains frequently ended in sculptures of animal heads, with water spouting into marble and stone basins.

The Romans are legendary for their aqueducts, public baths and fountains. Their skill at moving water from the mountains to their cities and farmlands is one of the major reasons their civilization was so successful. Fountains were more than just a way to provide drinking water; they also served as entertainment for the people and as monuments to the empire’s leaders and Gods.

(Photo credit: Ismael zniber/Wikimedia Commons)

Fountains and water gardens were also prominent across the Islamic world. From the fountains of Arab rulers, where many of the Roman and Greek engineering practices were maintained, to Persian water gardens, and to the famous fountains of the Alhambra in Muslim Spain, fountains were an important part of life. They provided water to the people, relaxing gardens for rulers, and held religious significance.

In more recent times, the need to distribute water to the public via fountains has decreased. Our fountains today are much more often for display, serving as exhibitions of the magnificence of water or to commemorate individuals or moments from our common past.

Many fountains have gone beyond simple displays and have now achieved the status of monuments to water itself. The great musical fountains are especially noteworthy, as they take these spectacles to a new level of magnificence, incorporating music, lights and multiple spouts. They are a truly arresting show.

(Photo credit: Jon Sullivan/Wikimedia Commons)

Cities like Las Vegas in the United States and Kolkata in India have made names for themselves through their fantastic aquatic displays. One of the best shows in Las Vegas is outside the Bellagio hotel, where numerous water spouts create jaw-dropping displays. These fountains are state-of-the-art, with computer-guided systems operating over a thousand water nozzles in a choreographed dance in a nine-acre lake.

Like the Bellagio, the CESC Fountain of Joy in Kolkata adds music and lights to create the most unique water show in India. With a three tier fountain pool, 150 spouts, lights and music, it provides a stunning exhibition. Its central display is 6 metres high and 18 metres wide, with specially designed valves that allow it to launch water spouts at unbelievable speeds.

What are your favourite water fountains? Does your community have any noteworthy monuments to water?

Is a Glass of Water the Cure for your Headache?

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We have all had headaches. That gnawing pressure in the temples or the pain crawling up the back of your neck.

For many of us, the first response to a headache is to reach for a bottle of pills. Acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, whatever your favourite brand name, they are for many of us the go-to response to a headache.

Research suggests, however, that instead of heading for the medicine cabinet, we could instead head to the kitchen. The solution to your headache may not be in pharmaceuticals, but rather, in one of nature’s most fundamental components: water.

As many of us already suspect, some headaches may be the direct result of dehydration. Researchers from the University of Maastricht, in the Netherlands, found in a 2012 study that increased water intake had a positive impact on headaches for 47 percent of the patients in their study group. The researchers argued, considering the patients positive reaction, “it seems reasonable to recommend headache patients to try this non-invasive intervention” when first experiencing a headache.

Most of the patients suffering from dehydration-related headaches found their symptoms were gone within 30 minutes to 3 hours of rehydrating.

So, if you have a headache, consider grabbing a glass or two of water to see if that helps. Even if the two aren’t related, chances are good you could use the extra hydration anyway.

[custom_blockquote style=”eg. green, yellow, purple, blue, red, black, grey”] Did you know?

Research shows that drinking water provided relief from headaches for some individuals within 30 minutes to 3 hours. [/custom_blockquote]

But what about more severe headaches? What if you suffer from that most difficult and debilitating headache: the migraine? You may be able to look to the healing power of water for migraines, as well.

Dehydration can serve as a trigger causing migraines and can act to prolong their length. Studies from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, UK, in 2004 and 2005 found that not drinking enough water may play a role in migraines.

The researchers found that a large proportion of migraine sufferers self-reported that dehydration could trigger migraines and that it could prolong an attack. Clinical studies also found that hydration levels appeared to have a direct impact on some patient’s migraines.

[custom_blockquote style=”eg. green, yellow, purple, blue, red, black, grey”] According to European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), adults need to consume at least 2.0 L/day for females and 2.5 L/day for males. [/custom_blockquote]

While the exact nature of the connection between drinking water and migraines is not known, it’s probably a safe bet to try drinking more water to stave off the attacks.

The advantage of trying out the curative effects of water is straightforward; whether it works for a headache or not, your body needs water, and lots of it!

So next time you feel a headache coming on, head to your WaterBar and grab a cool, delicious glass of water. We’re sure you won’t regret it!

Bottled? Tap? Strauss Water?

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We all need water to survive; there’s no question about it. But it’s where we get it from that’s up for debate. Depending on your lifestyle, there’s a vast array of sources to choose from: well water, a mountain spring, municipal tap water – as is, municipal tap water – filtered by a whole home system, municipal tap water – filtered with a POU or jug system, individual-use bottles, commercial water delivery, etc. There’s definitely something for everyone; it’s just important to know more about the water you’re drinking.

Bottled Water

Canadians bought 2.4 billion litres of bottled water in 2013, which is a five per cent increase in sales from 2012, according to Euromonitor International. A 2006 study by Statistics Canada found that about three in ten households rely on bottled water as their main source of drinking water and of those households, one third of them were families with working parents and children under the age of 18.

Bottled water is an easy, grab-and-go solution and it’s good to have around the house when you’re running late to your kid’s soccer game, but there are some aspects to be aware of when choosing it. Canadian researchers discovered that 70 per cent of the bottled water brands they tested had high levels of heterotrophic bacteria, which is a type of bacteria that grows in an area with dead organic matter. While these bacteria are unlikely to cause any diseases and researchers haven’t found any signs of bacteria that would, the water could be a risk to seniors, pregnant women, infants and Canadians with compromised immune systems.

Some people prefer the taste of bottled water to tap water and the quality of bottled water is regulated by Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which ensures the water you’re drinking is safe for consumption.

Tap Water

Canadians are lucky to have access to some of the safest tap water in the world. All levels of government are involved in providing safe drinking water to residents, with provinces and territories following Health Canada’s Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. These guidelines address concerns including microbiological quality, chemical and radiological quality as well as aesthetic and operational parameters.

We only access water from taps at home, work or school, but there are three main elements involved in providing us with clean water to fill our glasses: the water source, the water treatment system and the distribution system. Each part of this system needs to remain free of contamination for our own health and safety. The 2000 Walkerton tragedy is an example of what happens when our water is tainted and the importance of proper monitoring.

Health Canada continues to monitor water quality by conducting surveys of tap water and water treatment facilities to measure the presence of any potential contaminants, by-products or inorganic substances. Some households continue to boil or filter their water to ensure its safety.

Added benefit: most municipally sourced tap water has fluoride added to it. This mineral protects us from dental decay, which happens when bacteria feeds on sugar found in some foods and creates acid. This acid breaks down your tooth’s outside layer, the enamel, which over time leads to tooth decay and ultimately cavities pain, infections and tooth loss, if left untreated.

Strauss Water

Strauss Water Canada’s WaterBar gives Canadians another water option. Health Canada offers many checks and balances in your bottled and tap water, but our WaterBars can give you that extra peace of mind.

Our triple water filtration and purification process kills 99.9% of micro-organisms and bacteria, while absorbing the chlorine that can impair the taste of water. WaterBars use an activated carbon filter, a micro-mesh filter and ultra violet light to deliver safe, great tasting water, which is packed with essential mineral elements including calcium and magnesium.

Avoid dehydration this summer, but ensure that the water you’re drinking is good for your health. If your kids need some convincing to stay hydrated, there are liquid water enhancers and natural ways to add flavour and quench their thirst.

Healthy ways to spruce up your water’s flavour

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We all know how imperative good hydration is, so it may be worthwhile to look at ways to entice ourselves and our loved ones into increasing our intake of H2O.

Liquid water enhancers have gained widespread popularity since they were introduced in 2011, especially for those on the go, but there are other natural ways you can spice up your water’s flavour to keep you from being dehydrated. (Don’t be afraid to mix all of these flavours together if you want.)

Add citrus fruits. Lemons, limes or oranges add zest to your drink and the benefits of additional vitamin C. Vitamin C helps wounds heal through collagen production, assists your immune system in fending off colds and illnesses and lends a hand in retaining good eyesight by decreasing your chances of developing cataracts. A citrus slice in your water also serves as a palate cleanser and a great way to end your meal.

Add berries. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries pack an antioxidant punch that protects your body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals. Our bodies naturally produce these free radicals, but there are toxins in the environment, such as cigarette smoke, that stimulate our body’s production. According to a study published in the Annals of Neurology, eating berries also packs an added bonus of slowing down cognitive decline as you age.

Add herbs. Lavender or mint can jazz up your glass and provide a slew of health benefits. Studies show the smell of lavender helps calm people down and has a soothing effect, while also curing headaches and insomnia. On a warm day, mint leaves deliver a cooling flavour that can calm an upset stomach for those facing indigestion or bloating, or clear up your sinuses and soothe a sore throat. The minty fresh breath it leaves also doesn’t hurt.

Add ginger. This root is a frequent ingredient in Asian cooking that’s been used for more than 4,000 years, but it also has many medicinal uses. Some studies show ginger helps treat motion sickness as well as nausea and vomiting for pregnant women. Ginger’s properties have also been used to reduce inflammation in the body with a study showing it helped reduce pain for those suffering from osteoarthritis.

Add a pinch of salt. You probably won’t love the taste of table salt in your water, but salt helps your body absorb fluids right after a workout. With help from Strauss Water Canada’s WaterBar, you can make a homemade electrolyte drink that’s all natural and inexpensive to boot.

Why water is important to World Cup players

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The World Cup showcased soccer at its finest with teams duking it out in matches in Brazil over the last four weeks.

The event happens every four years, but before it begins, athletes participate in rigorous preparation. Soccer players focus much of their training on their dribbling and mental prep, but come game time their food and water regimen goes a long way.

Water breaks for the first time

History was made at this year’s World Cup when a water break was imposed for the first time ever during a match. According to ABC News, temperatures soared to a blistering 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius) with a humidity index of 70 per cent during the game between US and Portugal, making it difficult for players on both sides who were sweating within minutes of the match’s start. A one-minute water break was called 40 minutes into the game to allow players to rehydrate and cool off before continuing to play.

FIFA was ordered by the Brazilian Court to implement water breaks within 30 minutes of each half when the temperature climbed higher than 32 degrees Celsius on the Wet Bulb Globe temperature index, which measures the amount of heat stress. Although FIFA has its own guidelines related to water breaks, the court felt the ruling was necessary to ensure they followed through. If they didn’t, FIFA organizers would pay the price with a hefty 200,000 Reals ($96,738 CAD) fine for each match.

What causes cramping?

England’s players saw firsthand how not drinking enough water can hurt their game. It was a shame to watch players suffering from cramps during the country’s match up against Italy where the intense humidity in Manaus, a city within the Amazon rainforest, forced them to tone down their playing intensity. The English team’s manager, Roy Hodgson, admitted that players cramped during the second half from lack of hydration. “We’ve worked very hard on that (hydration). We still did cramp up quite a lot,” Hodgson told MLSSoccer.com. “But the tempo of the game was quite fast … It was played at the proper tempo and the heat and humidity did take its toll.”

It’s a little known fact, but it’s common for athletes to be dehydrated, says a Kinesiology professor at the University of Connecticut. If you’ve lost one or two per cent of your body weight to dehydration, it isn’t a big deal, but more than that and your performance takes a hit. England served as an unfortunate example of that.

When dehydrated, the body works harder than it needs to; the heart has to work harder to pump blood to the brain, skin and muscles, and the more weight lost to dehydration, the higher the body’s temperature will rise. For every one per cent of weight lost, the body heats up by 0.15 to 0.20 degrees Celsius; and that’s something you don’t want.

For sports such as track and field or baseball, it’s easier to take a break and drink water, but the same can’t be said about the faster-paced soccer. Also, if you’re from a country that isn’t as humid, the situation is only exacerbated, which was the case for players from dryer/more arid European countries.

A study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that during a 90-minute soccer match, the average amount of sweat ranged from 1,672 to 3,138 ml, but soccer players only replenished about (about 30 ml) of fluid for each pound of body weight a day to keep their bodies in tip top shape.

Proper hydration can make or break a team in any sport; once muscle cramps set in, it’s difficult to recover quickly. After the match, athletes need to take part in contrast bathing, which is when they alternate between bathing in warm water and then cold water for short periods of time to relieve pain and reduce muscle damage. Rest is also a must on the agenda in order to give their bodies the necessary time to recuperate; but this reduces their time to prep for the next match, a disadvantage most players can’t afford.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget the importance of drinking water, especially when you’re competing to win. If you don’t enjoy water’s taste, you’re not alone; why not try a few ways to make it a little bit more bearable? Liquid water enhancers with fun flavours like iced tea or fruit punch will take plain ol’ H2O to the next level and there are also natural ways that pack a flavourful punch and deliver some needed nutrients.

What you need to know about water enhancers

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For the first time in 15 years, Coca-Cola saw a one per cent drop in its sale of carbonated drinks in the beginning of 2014. With obesity becoming a worldwide issue, people are looking for healthier beverage options.

According to the American Beverage Association, with 20 per cent of households already buying bottled water (which has its own health and environmental ramifications), flavour enhancers for water, such as Mio and Crystal Light, are the soda-alternative that has quickly cornered the marketplace. Liquid water enhancers were first introduced to grocery stores in 2011 and they’ve become a popular way to add flavour to H2O; so popular in fact that, according to a report by Zenith International, the category produced $412 million worth of sales in the US alone in 2013.

These may sound like a great way to spice up your water, but if you take a look at the labels, there are many ingredients you may not recognize.

What’s in it?

Some products include propylene glycol; and while Health Canada has approved it as a food additive, the chemical has a wide range of uses such as being an ingredient of antifreeze and cosmetics and is even used when creating artificial smoke. A test by NBC Chicago into various water enhancers found that, on average, propylene glycol accounted for 12 per cent of the product’s weight; this isn’t a toxic amount if only taken in small doses, however, if a 110-pound teenager drank the entire bottle in one shot, they would be ingesting five times the daily limit.

“He could well be potentially damaging himself at that kind of dose over that period of time because we do know there is an intermediate toxicity that affects the kidneys, the liver,” University of Illinois toxicologist Dr. Peter Orris told NBC Chicago.

Take sugar in moderation

Also, while many flavour enhancers boast that they are “calorie free”, they often contain high doses of artificial sugars that would affect your glucose levels. It is important to review the ingredients in such products to see if they include ingredients such as sucralose, acesulfame potassium (otherwise known as Acesulfame-K), aspartame and corn syrup, which are artificial sugars that shouldn’t be consumed in large doses.

A report published in the Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism Journal found that those who drank artificially sweetened drinks faced a greater risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and excessive weight gain as compared to people who don’t drink soft drinks. Also, the World Health Organization has been urging people to limit their sugar intake to below 25 grams per day, which is about six or seven teaspoons and only five per cent of a person’s daily calorie intake.

Caffeine

It is also important to note that some of these water enhancers contain caffeine, which is not recommended for consumption by children. Too much caffeine can be detrimental to a child’s health, leading to headaches, anxiety and sleep issues. Depending on the child’s age and weight, Health Canada recommends limiting the maximum daily intake of caffeine between 45 mg and 85 mg, which is about one to two cans of coke.

Moderation is key

With their easy to carry miniature bottles and a vast array of fun flavours to choose from, using enhancers can be a real treat. Besides offering delicious taste (which makes drinking the recommended 2-3 litres per day a little more palpable) many of the liquid enhancers on the market also boast benefits like having zero calories, being made with natural ingredients and containing added vitamins, potassium or salt. The great thing is that you can easily track the amount of flavouring (and therefore control the quantities of the additives going into your body) used by counting the number of drops you add to your drink. Being well hydrated is key to your body’s functionality; so as long as they’re used in moderation, liquid water enhancers are a great option for parents looking to encourage their children to drink more water.

If you’re at home with a little more time to spare, there are natural water flavouring options you can whip up in no time.

Strauss Water Canada’s WaterBar provides pure, great tasting water for better tea, coffee and hot and cold drinks, at your fingertips. Our triple water filtration and purification process kills micro-organisms and bacteria and absorbs the chlorine that can impair the taste of water. Water will be boiled instantly and dispensed at the touch of a button, which means no more buying, carrying or storing water. Tap into an unlimited supply of drinking water with our WaterBar.

How to avoid dehydration this summer

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Many people aren’t drinking enough water during a day and they may not realize the effects it has on them.

Recently, Miami Heat’s LeBron James had to be carried off the court during an NBA finals game due to muscle cramping. The air conditioner broke down during the first game and temperatures climbed above 32.2 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). After James was pulled off the court, the Miami Heat lost the game. The NBA superstar suffered from dehydration, which led to the painful muscle cramps that left him immobilized. According to the Miami Herald, after the game, his body needed to be hooked up to two bags of fluids, along with taking salt tablets and potassium pills to restore his electrolyte balance.

“My body just shut down,” James told the Miami Herald. “Basically my body said, ‘OK, enough jumping for you for tonight. You’ve had enough.’ Nothing I could do about it.”

What’s dehydration?

Dehydration occurs when the fluids in the body aren’t replenished as quickly as they are lost. When exercising or spending time outdoors in warm weather, people are more likely to experience this since they lose fluids faster through sweat, which is what happened with James. When a person sweats, they are losing more than water, they’re also using electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium and chloride.

Athletes are more likely to experience muscle cramps from dehydration, which leaves the person in excruciating pain and, at times, temporarily unable to use the cramped muscle.

Symptoms of dehydration differ based on its severity. If you have a mild dehydration, some symptoms you’ll notice include sleepiness, exhaustion, thirst, headache, constipation, dizzy or light-headedness. If you have a more severe case, symptoms can include extreme thirst, sunken eyes, fever, shriveled skin, low blood pressure, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat and very little urination when you use the bathroom.

How much water do you need?

Most people are familiar with the age old advice recommending that we drink eight cups of water a day. While that’s close to how much you need, both men and women require a different amount of fluids to stay hydrated. According to the Institute of Medicine, Men should drink about 3.7 litres, while women should drink about 2.7 litres each day.

Note, however, that this is only the recommended amount and things like physical exertion, age, height and weight, among other factors, play into how much water you should be drinking on a daily basis. For example, if you’re exercising or out in the heat you’ll need to drink more liquids since you’ll be losing your water at a faster rate. But, to avoid cramping during a workout, take small sips more frequently.

The easiest way to gauge how hydrated you are is to look at the colour of your urine when you go to the washroom; the lighter it is the more hydrate you are. Dr. Michael Farber explains to MSN Health & Fitness that if your urine comes out colourless similar to how water looks, it means that you’ve been staying hydrated. Whereas, if your urine comes out in a yellow-brown colour similar to the colour of iced tea, this means you’re not drinking enough since your urine is more concentrated.

The majority of a person’s fluids (80 per cent) comes from water or other beverages, while only 20 per cent of it comes from food. Stay hydrated and wherever you go this summer, make sure you pack some water with you.

Strauss Water Canada’s WaterBar is an easy solution for convenient and clean drinking water this summer. Our triple water filtration and purification process kills 99.9% of micro-organisms and bacteria and absorbs the chlorine that can impair the taste of water. Our WaterBars use an activated carbon filter, a micro-mesh filter and ultra violet light to deliver safe, great tasting water, all the while maintaining essential mineral elements including calcium and magnesium.