Why Water? - LPNI

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Why Water?

LPNI Health Topic -- June 2022

“Do 1 Thing Emergency Preparedness” is a web site dedicated to helping people take small steps toward being prepared for an emergency. After two years of fluctuating lockdowns and self quarantine, wouldn’t you think we are all prepared for about anything? Surprisingly, we likely are not. It’s easy to feel relatively comfortable with what has become our usual routine.

Emergencies come in all types of situations: health concerns, weather events, power outages, even accidents and sudden changes in family structure. All pose out-of-our-usual challenges. “Do 1 Thing” suggests doing one thing each month to prepare ourselves for whatever may come our way. This past winter our country experienced a storm system that swept from Texas through the Ohio River Valley and up to Maine. Power outages became the norm across a third of our country. With the storm came a loss of power and with that, a lack of water.

Power is needed to operate the pumps that bring the water and few of us have the option to hand pump our water anymore. The recommended minimum amount of water is one gallon per person per day. Guidelines are to have three days to two weeks of water in reserve. Water is usually stored in individual water bottles and in gallon containers. Your situation will determine what and how much you are able to store, but even having a gallon or two in reserve can get you through the day.

So, why water? Every person needs water to survive. Our bodies are 60% water. Our brain is 70% water, our lungs are 90% water and our kidneys process 50 gallons of blood (mostly water) every day. Water gives the shape to our cells and facilitates the chemical reactions within our cells. Water carries the nutrients in our blood giving energy to our bodies. Water carries the waste products of metabolism out of our blood through our urine. Water even regulates our body temperature through sweat, cooling our skin by evaporation. Most of us take the availability of clean drinking water in our home for granted. Much of the global population (approx. 6.8 billion people) are able to use at least a basic service for water. The World Health Organization defines a basic service as an improved drinking-water source within a round trip of 30 minutes to collect water. This is important because contaminated water can transmit diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. Where water is not readily available, people decide hand washing and other hygiene practices are not a priority, thereby adding to disease transmission. With clean, available water less time is spent collecting water. Children, especially at risk from water-born diseases, can have improved health and better school attendance, with positive longer-term consequences.

In the book of John, Jesus answers the water question of the Samaritan woman, “…but whoever drinks of the water I give him will never thirst.” (John 4:14 NIV) As our souls need the living water of Jesus, so our bodies need water to survive. Drink enough water each day and have enough on hand for the potential challenges of the future.

Carol D. Zimmermann, MS, RN Parish Nurse,

Lutheran Church of the Living Christ Madison, WI, USA. czpeople@gmail.com

(Information for this article was compiled from the Do 1 Thing Emergency Preparedness, World Health Organization and AskDrUniverse websites and may be used by parish nurses in their ministries.)