The Power of Water

As well as some negatives that come with drinking too much water

It shouldn’t be surprising that water is one of the greatest benefits to the human body and the planet. The positives certainly outweigh the negatives in most aspects of drinking and using water. However, there are also negatives that water can bring to the table, some of which can be deadly!

Benefits of drinking water

Water regulates body temperatures

• Consuming water helps to rehydrate all the water that is lost from sweating, breathing, and digestion. Through this process, it keeps the temperature of the body regular.

Water assists in weight loss

• Consuming water boosts the body’s metabolism and can be an appetite suppressor. Increasing water intake, reduces water retention and thus helps water weight decrease.

Water helps remove waste and toxins from the body

• Water acts as a form of transportation of waste and toxins to leave the body. Drinking water increases sweat, urinary and digestive output which is the body’s way of removing waste and toxins from the body.

Helps protect body organs and body systems including the brain, spinal cord, and joints

• Water helps lubricate joints, keeping them working and young. It also helps by moving blood and nutrients throughout the body, including vital organs (I.e. The brain, heart, lungs, etc). Water also increases oxygen in the blood which improves brain health.

Digestive system greatly benefits from water

• As previously mentioned, water acts as transportation for waste and toxins. The digestive system is the system responsible for removing feces (I.e. Waste) from the body. Therefore, consuming water will then improve the removal process. Also, water assists in the breakdown of food, so consuming it during or after eating can make the digestive process easier in the body.

Keeps skin healthy, glowing, and beautiful

• This benefit coincides with some of the benefits previously mentioned. Since water helps to remove toxins from the body, the complexion of the skin will then be improved and skin will appear healthier and glowing.

Benefits of using water

Water power or hydropower is a clean fuel source

• Water itself will not pollute the air or the water while being used as an energy source. Although, some of the power plants running the hydropower may increase pollution but, seemingly less than that of some other fuel sources.

Most efficient way to generate electricity

• Hydropower turbines are said to convert 90% of the energy into electricity. Other turbines (I.e. Fossil fuel plants) typically only convert about 50% of the energy into electricity.

Water is renewable energy

• Water is constantly cycled and then renewed by the sun. There will be an endless supply of water for hydropower for hundreds of generations to come!

Affordable energy

• As previously mentioned, there will be an endless supply of water for years and years to come due to it being a renewable energy source. Therefore, the high quantity of this energy source makes it more affordable than the fossil fuel sources which are eventually going to run out.

Safe energy system compared to nuclear energy, and, fossil fuels, etc

• Also as previously mentioned, water will not pollute the air or the water which makes it not only a clean energy source but also a safe one.

Negatives of drinking water

Water intoxication

• If a person consumes too much water then the cells and electrolytes in the body become unbalanced and essentially drown in the excess water. A person that is intoxicated by water may experience any number of health issues ranging from mild in nature to life-threatening.

Kidney damage

• One of the possible results of water intoxication

Negatives of using water (hydropower)

Dams can cause flooding

• If the water that is built up behind the walls of the dam then the water will have nowhere else to go but over the wall which can result in flooding in the area.

May interrupt or block the original flow of streams, rivers, and lakes

• If hydropower is being sourced from a naturally occurring water host (lake, river, stream, etc.)

Power plants cannot be built just anywhere

• They have to be built near a natural water source or in a location man-made with a water source. The western parts of the United States host some of the largest.

Hydropower may experience issues during times of drought

• Simply put; low water levels = low water power

Inhabitants of the water source used for hydropower (fish, crustaceans, etc.) may get caught up in the system

• Fish and other inhabitants may end up getting stuck in the turbine system of the hydro plant. They are not likely to survive the turbine. However, improvements are being made to help prevent this from happening.