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1-Page Summary of Drinking Water
Overview
Water is something we consume every day, and most of us don’t question what’s actually coming out of our taps. It’s worth learning about the history of water—who first created a system for drinkable water, when we realized that untreated water was harmful to our health, and so on. Once you know this information, it’ll help you appreciate how important fresh drinking water is and think about ways to make sure there are enough resources for everyone in the world now and in the future.
The article is about John Snow, who had nothing to do with Game of Thrones. Bottled water became popular when people thought it was healthier than tap water. Twenty percent of the world’s fresh water is in Antarctica.
Big Idea #1: Historically, drinking water wasn’t desirable, but it was thought to hold mystical powers.
Though water may seem like an ordinary drink, it has a very interesting history. For many centuries, and in numerous societies, water was not preferred over other drinks. For example, upper class Romans thought that slaves and children should only be given water to drink. The same applied for pilgrims who came to America in the 17th century; they believed that beer was better than water because of its taste and how it made them feel. In addition, there were even doctors at the time who believed drinking too much cold water could make someone sad or depressed.
Despite this, many believed in the magical powers of holy water. The idea that certain sources hold enchanted water has been around for a long time. One famous example is the Fountain of Youth sought by explorer Juan Ponce de León from Spain in 1513.
It’s likely that Ponce de León’s pursuit of the Fountain of Youth was exaggerated after his death. There are many stories about it, but they all seem to be very similar.
In Norse mythology, Odin, the god of wisdom and war, searches for a magical water that can help him live forever. Another story from the Muslim world involves Khidr who goes through a dark land to find an eternal spring.
In the fifteenth century, it was common for people to drink water because they believed that doing so would bring them closer to God. A girl named Bernadette Soubirous saw the Virgin Mary at a spring in Lourdes and became a saint after her death. People still travel from all over the world to try drinking water from that spring even today.
Big Idea #2: The Romans were the first to systemize and politicize water.
The Romans were the first to bring water into homes, and they were also the first government to give its people free water.
The Romans were able to build aqueducts that still stand today. It took them more than 500 years to construct 11 of these water delivery systems, which delivered a constant stream of 30 million gallons at any given time.
There was free water in public basins called lacūs, but you had to pay a tax and get a pipe installed to connect it to the aqueduct. It’s believed that aqueducts were originally introduced for supplying bathhouses, which were popular in Rome, but the third one was built mainly for drinking water.
Under the first Roman emperor, Augustus, there were many public baths because he was aware that water could be used to communicate political messages.
The reign of Augustus signaled the transformation from a republic to an empire. He increased the number of public water stations in Rome by 600, designed as ornate fountains and decorated with his name. In this way, he demonstrated that life was better under his rule than it had been before.
