Over 97% of the water on our planet is in our oceans. Unfortunately, its salt content makes it dangerous for us to drink. The human body consists of 70% water which is why we must drink a lot of it to survive. Finding potable water has been a necessary search for survival since the dawn of man. Waking up at dawn, that man trekked down to the stream near his cave. Scooping up some water, he drank it down hoping that the herd of wooly mammoths he saw the previous day were downstream. 

Luckily for us, finding water is not too difficult. When I was growing up, on hot summer days we drank from a garden hose. Knowing now how the sun can degrade a hose, it is something that should be avoided. Learning how rubber and plastic degrades in the sun makes me wonder about all those plastic bottles and gallons of water on shelves near store windows.

When I was young, if you told me that someday most of us would pay for portable water I would have called you crazy. The same thing goes for paying for television and for that matter, that I would be typing this column on a device that, with a push of a button, I could send around the world.

The water we purchase and drink comes in a constantly growing number of varieties. The one that I have decided to not drink is tap water. Knowing how the pipes that carry tap water from reservoirs to my faucets are subject to decay, I only consume bottled water. 

Going to the supermarket I am amazed that whole aisles are now devoted to bottled water. Flat, sparkling, flavored, spring and filtered fight for shelf space with competitors that advertise benefits of their water.  I do not know if water can make you smarter as one brand claims. Nor do I want water that supposedly comes from glaciers. We should be trying to preserve the glaciers not melting them to wet our whistles. Polar bears are suffering from the loss of their habitat without encouraging companies to offer hunks of  melted down glaciers.

For my readers who do not trust the typical bottled water sold in stores, there are more expensive brands to try. You can sip a glass of Beverly Hills 9OH20 advertised as “the champagne of bottled water” for a mere $15 a bottle. You can swallow a mouthful of Elsenham Still Artesian Spring Water that sells for $40 a bottle. Swiping your debit card for $17 will pay for Gize, that is filtered with gold prior to being bottled. With prices like that, I will stick to good old Poland Spring.

There is one type of water that occupies another area in the supermarket. You can find it in the cleaning supplies aisle among bleach, laundry detergent and air fresheners. Welcome to the world of distilled water!

Many household gadgets recommend they be filled with distilled water. Steam irons, coffee makers and CPAP machines will last longer if you just use distilled water. So, what exactly is it?

Distilled water is steam that is collected and cooled back to its liquid form. All water whether it is from streams, wells or the tap have traces of bacteria, minerals, pesticides and other contaminants. Making the water distilled removes almost 99% of the minerals that, over time, can clog those household devices.

Actually, it is safe to drink distilled water. However since the process to make it removes sodium, calcium and minerals it will have a flat taste. Also, you should not drink distilled water exclusively. Your body needs the potassium and electrolytes found in tap, filtered and spring water. If, like myself, you have a thirst for information about basic things like water, I hope this column quenched it.

Hudson Cooper is a resident of Sullivan County, a writer, comedian and actor.