Texas Tap Water, Childhood Summers, and the Decade I Lost to Exhaustion

Spoiler alert: Dr Pepper is not a hydration strategy

The Good Ole Days

Growing up in a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas in the 80s, the tap water was disgusting. I'm not being dramatic—it literally tasted metallic and awful, like you were sucking on old pennies mixed with pool water. Sometimes it had that rotten egg smell from hydrogen sulfide. Other times it tasted salty or had this earthy, musty flavor that made you want to spit it out immediately.

The iron content was so high that if you made iced tea and let it sit overnight, it would turn completely black. White bathtubs got orange rings where the water sat. This was just normal life—nobody questioned it.

So we didn't drink it. Why would we? When you're eight years old and it's 105 degrees outside and you've been riding your bike around the neighborhood since sunrise, you grab whatever's cold. And what was cold was Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, Sprite, or 7-Up.

We lived outside in that heat. All day, every day, until the streetlights came on. Playing truth or dare that included running down the blacktop suburb streets barefoot until we had blisters, riding bikes, running around like maniacs in temperatures that would kill me now. We'd drink from the garden hose if we were desperate, but mostly we survived on sugar water with caffeine.

Looking back, I have no idea how we didn't die. My 50-something body would never survive what I put my kid body through. But... against all odds, I survived to tell about it. What I can't tell you much about are my thirties, which I basically slept through.

After decades of not knowing any better, making choices based on what tasted good instead of what my body needed, I spent what should have been my most energetic years completely exhausted. And a big part of that was because I never learned how to actually hydrate my body.

Why Avoiding Tap Water Isn't Snobbery

Here's the thing about municipal water that would probably surprise most people: it's designed to be safe, not healthy. There's a difference, and it's bigger than you might think.

City water gets treated with chlorine to kill harmful bacteria—which is genuinely important for preventing waterborne diseases. But chlorine doesn't discriminate between good and bad bacteria. It wipes out the beneficial microbes in your gut that help with digestion, immunity, and overall health.

Then there's fluoride, added for dental health reasons, though many people prefer to avoid it given questions about its effects on thyroid function and concerns about cumulative exposure.

There are pharmaceutical residues from medications that standard treatment plants can't fully remove—everything from hormones to antidepressants.

There are industrial chemicals, agricultural runoff, and sometimes old lead pipes adding their own special contribution to the mix.

Understanding what you're dealing with helps you make better choices without becoming paranoid about every water source.

Well Water: God's Intention, Nature's Complications

You might think, "Well, I'll just move to the country and get well water—water as God intended!" And while rural water sources can be incredible (I'm lucky enough to live near an amazing natural spring), they come with their own problems.

When I run Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis tests on people in my area with wells, I commonly see elevated uranium and arsenic. These aren't added by humans—they're naturally occurring in the rock and soil. That beautiful mountain stream might be carrying parasites. Even the cleanest-looking water sources can harbor things that will make you sick.

Some of the best water I've ever had comes from wells. But get it tested, because "natural" doesn't automatically mean "safe."

The Missing Piece: Minerals Matter

Even if you solve the purity problem, you might be missing the hydration piece entirely. Pure water—like distilled or reverse osmosis water—can actually dehydrate you if you're drinking it without the minerals your body needs.

Think about it: your cells don't just need water. They need the right balance of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and other electrolytes to actually absorb and use that water effectively. Drink too much pure water without minerals, and you can actually flush out the electrolytes you do have.

This is why people can drink tons of water and still feel thirsty, or why you might feel bloated or tired after chugging plain water. Your body isn't just asking for H2O—it's asking for the mineral cofactors that make hydration actually work.

Water Filters That Actually Work

After years of research and testing, here are the systems that consistently deliver clean water:

1. Pure Effects Water Filters These systems remove a wide range of contaminants while preserving beneficial minerals. They're particularly good at handling both chemical and biological contaminants without over-stripping the water.

2. ProOne Water Filters Gravity-fed systems that are perfect if you want independence from electrical systems. Great for families and anyone who wants simplicity with effectiveness.

3. AquaTru Countertop Reverse osmosis without the installation hassle. Perfect for renters or anyone who wants clean water without calling a plumber.

4. Whole House Carbon Systems For people who want to filter everything—shower water, cooking water, drinking water. More investment upfront, but comprehensive protection.

Travel Smart: Don't Abandon Your Water Game on the Road

If you've got a good filtration system or spring water source at home, don't let travel derail your hydration. Every region has its water challenges—what works in North Idaho won't necessarily work in Los Angeles or Miami. Planning ahead goes a long way.

For Air Travel: Portable water bottle filters are a game-changer. The GRAYL Ultralight or Geopress bottles can turn questionable airport tap water into clean drinking water in seconds. The Sawyer Mini filter is compact and TSA-friendly—you can attach it directly to most water bottles after you get through security.

For Road Trips: Bring a large insulated container like an 128-ounce Hydro Flask plus your regular 21-24 ounce bottle. This way you're not buying water at every gas station, and you know exactly what you're drinking. The Hydro Flask Travel series has a narrower base that fits most car cup holders. Hydro Flask makes great bottles, but you don't have to spend that much. Plenty of other brands offer similar quality for less money.

Testing Your Water: Get the Facts

Whether you're dealing with city water or well water, testing takes the guesswork out of filtration.

Here are reliable testing resources:

• SimpleLab Tap Score: Comprehensive home water testing with easy-to-understand results

• National Testing Labs: Affordable testing for basic contaminants

• Local health departments: Often provide free or low-cost well water testing

• EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 1-800-426-4791 for guidance on testing and treatment

  
  

Test for basics like bacteria, heavy metals, chlorine, and pH. If you have well water, also test for nitrates, arsenic, and uranium—especially common in rural areas.

Quality Bottled Water When You Need It

Sometimes you need quality water but can't filter it yourself. Here are consistently reliable options:

1. Mountain Valley Spring Water - Glass bottles, natural minerals, consistently clean test results

2. Gerolsteiner - High mineral content, especially magnesium. Sparkling option for people who miss their soda days

3. Fiji Water - Natural artesian source, good mineral profile, widely available

4. Evian - Reliable spring water with consistent mineral content

5. Local spring water - If you have access to a tested local spring, this is often your best option

Making Minerals Work for You

Whether you're filtering your water or buying it, you might need to add minerals back in. Here's how to do it without getting complicated:

Sea salt: A pinch of high-quality sea salt in your water provides sodium and trace minerals. Start with just a tiny amount—you shouldn't taste it.

Electrolyte powders: Look for options without artificial colors or excessive sugar. Brands like LMNT, Ultima, Redmond Re-Lyte, Bumbleroot, or Ancient Nutrition offer clean options.

Trace mineral drops: A few drops in each glass can replenish what filtering removes.

Natural options: Coconut water, bone broth, or adding a splash of fresh lemon juice can provide electrolytes naturally.

In Conclusion

Every region has its water pros and cons. Texas had terrible-tasting tap water, but at least it was consistently terrible—you knew what you were dealing with. North Idaho has better natural sources, but higher uranium and arsenic in some wells. When you travel, you're rolling the dice again with whatever the local water situation happens to be.

The point isn't to become paranoid about every water source. It's to understand that good hydration isn't just about drinking more water—it's about drinking better water with the minerals your body needs to actually use it. Whether you're dealing with metallic-tasting tap water or pristine mountain springs, the principles are the same: clean water plus proper minerals equals real hydration.

I spent my thirties exhausted partly because I never learned these basics. Yeah, there were other factors, but proper hydration was a big missing piece. Your body is constantly trying to maintain the balance that keeps every cell working right. When you give it quality water with the right mineral cofactors, everything works better—energy, focus, even sleep.

Good hydration habits won't turn back the clock, but they'll definitely help you feel more like the person you're supposed to be. And that's worth way more than whatever you'll save buying cheap water or ignoring the problem altogether.

Kelly Greenway FNTP, MRWP