Before we dive into alkaline water let’s acknowledge some facts about the “liquid for life”. It holds a very prominent portion of our body which is about 70% and roughly the same percentage of area of our “blue marble” earth. It clearly means any change whether good or bad will affect 70% of our body.
We seafarers are second closest after aquatic animals to depend on seawater as far as our profession is considered, but when it comes to drinkable water following lines by Samuel Taylor Coleridge holds true.
Water, water, every where,
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1834)
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
Table of Contents
Know the water you drink
Its a no brainer that water is an essential item in our diet and it is needless to state why one should drink adequate quantity of water to stay hydrated. But do we know the “water” we drink. It is definitely not just H2O, there are handful organic and inorganic compounds which give water that familiar identity than being just a colorless and odorless chemical.
What is the quality of drinking water?
Being a part of this industry we know that it is based on guidelines by the IMO, so there is minimum standard to everything. When it comes to drinking water there are no universally recognized and accepted international standards.
Following is a table to compare some parameters set by the WHO in contrast to Bureau of Indian Standards.
| Parameter | Table | WHO | India (BIS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | Al | 0.9 mg/L | 0.03 mg/L |
| Arsenic | As | 0.01 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Boron | B | 2.4 mg/L | 1.0 mg/L |
| Cadmium | Cd | 0.003 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Calcium | Ca | 75 mg/L | |
| Chromium | Cr | 0.05 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Copper | Cu | 2 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Cyanide | “ | 0.05 mg/L | |
| Fluoride | 1.5 mg/L | 1.0 mg/L | |
| hardness | CaCO3 | 300 mg/L | |
| Iron | Fe | 0.3 mg/L | |
| Lead | Pb | 0.01 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Magnesium | Mg | 30 mg/L | |
| Manganese | Mn | 0.08 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L |
| Mercury | Hg | 0.006 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 50 mg/L | 45 mg/L | |
| Pesticides (total) | “ | Absent | |
| Sulphate | 200 mg/L | ||
| Selenium | Se | 0.04 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Zinc | Zn | 5.0 mg/L | |
| chlorides | 250 mg/L | ||
| Total dissolved solids | <1000 ppm | ||
| pH | 6.5 to 8.5 | ||
| Turbidity (NTU) | 1 (5 Max) | ||
| Color (Hazen units) | 5 (15 Max) |
The four highlighted parameters collectively states the Organoleptic and Physical Parameters of water.
Water that we drink onboard
On vessel the primary source of water is its production through “Fresh Water Generator”, though the produced water is distilled water without any minerals, it is termed as “Fresh Water”. The produced water is then fed through the mineralizer and sterilizer to make it fit for crew consumption, it is called “Drinking Water”. Mineral water is also procured from shore, but due to its rising cost and a strict Garbage Management Policies, shipping companies avoid it.
Various tests of fresh water and drinking water are conducted on a regular interval as a requirement of Port State Authorities, which include
- pH test
- TDS test
- Chloride test
A sample of water is sent to lab ashore for test of presence of E.coli or thermotolerant coliform bacteria, you may find a laminated certificate for the same pasted near water dispenser.
What is alkaline water?
Take a look at the table for pH value for drinking water, it is 6.5 to 8.5. To put it in simple way, water should be slightly basic in nature. So, water with pH greater than 7 is called alkaline water.
Naturally alkaline water occurs when it filters through rocks and picks up minerals, which increase its alkaline level.
With the maintenance of the production and filtration setup on board, it is nearly impossible to control pH of the drinking water and shipping company will not invest on Acidic Neutralizers and Ionizers, unless the parameters are not meeting minimum standards.
Also Read
5 Healthy Habits seafarers need to follow
What are the benefits of drinking alkaline water?
Everything you see around strives to attain balance, so is our body. The food we eat tends to imbalance the pH of the body. Some acidic foods are
To balance the acidic food there should be the neutralizers i.e. alkaline foods
- Non-starchy vegetables
- Almond milk
- Soy foods
- Almonds
- Coconut oil
Some acidic foods are
- dairy products, including cheese
- fish and seafood
- fresh meats and processed foods
- certain starchy foods, such as brown rice, oat flakes, or granola
- carbonated beverages
We all can admit with honesty that the acidic food dominates the alkaline foods, which results in excess acid or Acidity. Alkaline water helps in neutralizing surplus acid without putting extra load on our digestive system. Following are the benefits of having alkaline water in your diet:
- it is easily absorbed by the body, and has anti-oxidants which makes it pro-aging
- it has colon-cleansing properties
- it improves skin health and hydration, and other detoxifying properties
- helps in weight loss
- it has zero side effects on the body
and the most important and prominent: It can be prepared onboard and in less than 5 minutes.
How to prepare alkaline water onboard?
It has become an absolute necessity to carry a water bottle (free from plastic) with you, and it is all that you need to take from home. Follow the steps to prepare alkaline water:
Step 1: Fill 70% of your bottle with the available drinking water.
Step 2: Add 4-5 slices of cucumber.
Step 3: Add 2 slices of lemon.
Step 4(Optional): Add some chopped coriander.
Shake it once and consume it after 2 hours. It is best advised to consume it first thing in morning or between meals, but you may use it as permanent replacement to regular water.
Once prepared the water lasts 2 days, then you can recreate the mix after cleaning you bottle.
Conclusion
Whether it is sea or shore, health of our body and mind should be a priority. With a quick tweak to the regular water, we can help our body attain optimum pH level. We should know the water we use or drink, then only we can act to optimize it for good.
Here are some links to the products you may use.
Copper Water Bottle Set With Glass
Drinking copper charged water is proven to help in digestion and boosting immunity. It is advised to keep water in a copper container on wooden base overnight, and drink the water first thing in the morning. To get the best results use a copper glass to drink.
You need not take this on ship but you should definitely have one at your home to know the quality of water you drink and use. It can also help you evaluate your RO/filtration unit.
