It is safe to say many will be very happy to ring out 2021 at the end of this month and ring in 2022. Like every Dec. 31, our lives are full of self-reflecting, promising to be heathier and, of course, making New Year resolutions.
Most years, we have looked at the New Year with traditional resolutions like losing weight, quitting smoking, going to the gym, or limiting our intake of alcoholic beverages.
2021 has been like no other, and it provides an opportunity to reflect and move forward in a new way. After another year that’s been anything but “normal,” it’s fair to expect that many of our New Year’s resolutions will look different this year, too.
As we ring in 2022 it’s natural to reflect on how our lifestyles changed and what we might want to change in 2022 and beyond.
2020 taught us that the air we breathe is so precious to our health and safety. The pandemic has taught us to social distance, wash our hands routinely, wear face coverings and work from home. In 2022 we all need to continue to include the CDC Guidelines part of our New Year resolutions.
Often, I have been asked if COVID-19 can be spread through drinking water. Currently, there is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people by drinking treated water. Our local public service districts’ water treatment plants use disinfectants to remove or kill germs, like the virus that causes COVID-19. The EPA regulates water treatment plants to ensure that treated water is safe to drink.
One great New Year resolution every year is to drink more water. The question always comes up: “How much water should I drink every day?” Some say 64 ounces per day, or eight 8-ounce glasses of water; other experts recommend half an ounce for each pound of body weight as your daily recommendation.
Whichever choice you make for 2022, it will be a healthy one.
I believe the best New Year resolution is to drink filtered water. When choosing a filter for your home, make sure the filter is certified to remove any contaminants found in your tap water.
Carbon refrigerator filters, faucet mount filters or filtered pitchers are affordable and reduce many common water contaminants. However, a reverse osmosis filter provides triple-filtered water and can remove many contaminants, such as lead, nitrates, sodium, fluoride and pharmaceuticals, that carbon filters cannot catch.
For more information on how you can safeguard your home’s water supply, visit the Water Quality Association at wqa.org, or call a local water treatment expert.
Chris Lane is the owner of Culligan Water Conditioning of the Lowcountry, serving Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties. culliganhhi.com
