The active ingredient in most birth control pills is ending up in the drinking water supply in most countries around the world.

The damage to wildlife can be readily seen and the broader concern, of course, is whether or not there is an effect on human biology, as well.

Ecological systems may be at risk along with the health of people everywhere.

The problem is effectively removing ethinyl estradiol can be quite costly. Governmental estimates put the cost of upgrading about 1,360 wastewater treatment plants across England and Wales so they can comply with a proposed limit at between $41 billion and $47 billion (€32 billion and €37 billion), according to Richard Owen, a professor at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.

Environmental concerns over fracking have heightened as the practice has grown to address the nation’s demand for fossil fuel.

Fracking involves injecting water mixed with sand and chemicals into shale formations at high pressures to extract fuel.

The recent spread of fracking has raised concerns among environmentalists, public health advocates and some neighbors of shale wells who worry about issues such as water contamination and increased truck traffic. Some have also linked earthquakes to disposal of waste water from shale wells.

Water is crucial to good health but how much do our bodies need?
And what constitutes as water?
Fruits and vegetables contain water and can be counted in daily intake.

Our bodies are made up of about 60% water, and every system depends on water. So water is important for healthy skin, hair, and nails, as well as controlling body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.

“It’s definitely essential,” says Jim White, registered dietitian and personal trainer in Virginia Beach, Va., and American Dietetic Association spokesman.

“What we’re finding is so many people are deficient,” he notes. “We’re seeing a huge decrease in athletic performance and fatigue that’s caused by the lack of hydration.”

You can stay fully hydrated throughout the day by drinking water and other fluids, as well as eating foods that are hydrating.

For those who do everything they can to avoid artificial sweeteners it is disconcerting, to say the least, to learn than healthy habits like drinking lots of water can lead to filling up on artificial sweeteners.

The concern over artificial sweetener in drinking water is a real one.

The damage done to the body can wreak havoc on the digestive system and cause a multitude of chronic illnesses which often go undiagnosed.

Here are a few of the symptoms experienced by those who use Splenda.

Gastrointestinal problems: bloating, gas, pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or bloody diarrhea

Seizures, Blurred vision, Blood sugar increases Headaches and migraines Dizziness

Allergic reactions, including swelling of the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, or throat.

Weight gain

Allergic skin reactions: Redness, itching, swelling, blistering, weeping, crusting, rash, eruptions, or hives

Breathing problems: wheezing, tightness, cough, or shortness of breath Stuffy nose, runny nose (clear, thin discharge), sneezing

Heart palpitations or fluttering

Joint pains and achesBloodshot, itchy, swollen, or watery eyes Anxiety or sensation of being “spaced-out” and Depression

Water is necessary to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs.

Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.

A good estimate is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half.

That gives you the number of ounces of water per day that you need to drink.

For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink at least 80 ounces of water per day.

If you exercise, you should drink another eight ounce glass of water for every 20 minutes you are active. I

f you drink alcohol, you should drink at least an equal amount of water.

“Drinking water cooled to 37.4 degrees may lead to a slight increase in calorie expenditure for an hour after you quaff it, a study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism finds. (The cool liquid forces your body to work to maintain its internal temperature.) And a glass before a meal—chilled or not—may curb your appetite slightly, helping cut calories.

And maybe protect your heart. When a National Institutes of Health–funded study tracked 34,000 people for 14 years, it found that men who downed five to six glasses of water a day were nearly 70 percent less likely to die of a heart attack. The correlation wasn’t as strong in women, but “it’s a very intriguing finding.

We are now following 96,000 men and women in another study and will see if the preliminary results hold.”