Not all city tap water tastes the same (just ask the people in Flint, Michigan). Many people opt to have bottled water delivered in the home or they just buy bottled water rather than open up their tap and get water from the sink. Some people do it for taste, others do it for fear of toxins. But how do you know which tap water is good for you?
10. Chicago, Illinois
The water in Chicago comes from Lake Michigan, and it is filtered through carbon and sand, ensuring a clean and crisp taste.
9. Denver, Colorado
Denver's water comes from the snowmelt off the Rocky Mountains, providing a brisk taste that is mineral and grassy.
8. Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester's water comes from Lake Massabesic and is purified with ozone, earning it top-quality ratings.
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7. Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins' water comes from mountain snowmelt and the Cache La Poudre River, filtered through coal and treated with chlorine.
6. Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville gets its tap water from a pristine 26,000-acre area of the Blue Ridge foothills, known for its smooth taste.
5. Silverdale, Washington
Silverdale's water comes from Green Mountain, with an aquifer so pure that rainwater can be consumed directly.
4. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City's tap water comes from six man-made lakes, filtered and treated with ozone, winning awards for its quality.
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3. Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville's water is filtered through sand and gravel from the Ohio River, undergoing rigorous daily testing.
2. Macon, Georgia
Macon's water comes from the Javors Lucas Lake, with a large treatment facility ensuring minimal industrial contaminants.
1. Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is known for its "sweetest, most wonderful tasting water in the world," sourced from underground with few minerals.
7 Ways Drinking More Water Can Make Your Body Better
We all know that drinking plenty of water throughout the day is good for us, but sometimes we just need a friendly reminder as to why it’s so good for our bodies. If you need something to motivate you to drink more water, this list is just for you! Try to get between 60-100 ounces a day (more if you have a hard workout day) to get the most benefits.
1. Water Curbs Cravings
Water is a magical concoction that is calorie-free but powerful enough to make you feel full. Your brain is wired to send you signals to feed and hydrate it. However, you may not always be able to tell the difference.
Drinking water when you have a food craving can help you beat those craving most of the time. The next time you want something sweet or salty, grab a bottle of water first and then reassess. Chances are, your body just wanted some H20 love.
2. Water Can Make You Skinny
This may sound too good to be true, but drinking adequate amounts of water can help you look leaner because water can help reduce inflammation and bloating around your body. If you feel heavier than normal, or you think you are holding onto excess water, drinking more water can help the body flush out that excess water, and instantly make you look a bit slimmer.
3. Water Can Lower Blood Pressure
The main way to reduce your risk of high blood pressure is to eat less sodium. But, in addition to this step, you can help your body regulate its sodium levels why guzzling down water often. You need a certain amount of sodium and electrolytes to maintain proper bodily functions.
But if you don’t get enough water, you can become dehydrated and your body will begin to hold on to sodium, causing an imbalance and a spike in your blood pressure. Over time, getting too much salt and not enough water can lead to chronic high blood pressure, which can put you at risk for stroke and other conditions. Bottom line: drink up!
4. Water Can Improve Your Workouts
You’ve probably felt that extreme fatigue that comes from being dehydrated while you’re trying to work out, especially in the heat. When you get dehydrated, your body can build up more lactic acid in the muscles making them feel heavy and causing cramping.
However, when you hydrate before, during and after your workouts, you help your body regulate itself, flush out built-up acid, and reduce fatigue that could force you to cut your workouts short. Your muscles thrive off of water, so give them what they want!
5. Water Helps with Digestion
Poor digestion can cause you all types of problems like constipation, bloating, and weakening your immune system. First and foremost, you should ensure that you are getting enough fiber to help your food move along. But fiber is useless without the right amount of water in your system.
If you are dehydrated, your digestive system cannot function as smoothly as it’s meant to. So fill up on fiber and wash it down with a glass of water to keep your stomach troubles at bay.
6. Water Helps Boost Your Immune System
One of the first things people will tell you to do if you’re sick is to stay hydrated. This is true not only once you get sick, but staying properly hydrated can prevent you from getting under the weather in the first place.
Water helps your body flush out toxins, and it helps you get rid of the body’s waste through proper digestion. What’s more, is that water helps your immune system send white blood cells through the body to fight off viruses and bacteria. So, especially during the cold and flu season, drink up!
7. Water Makes You Beautiful
If beauty is only skin-deep, then drinking more glasses of water can increase your beauty in a major way. Drinking sufficient amounts of water over a long period can aid in your skin’s cell turnover, so that new cells can come up to the surface, making you look refreshed and glowed up all the time. Water also helps your body deliver oxygen to your cells all over your body, including your skin, helping your skin appear more youthful, rather than dull and dry.
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.
