“High and fine literature is wine, and mine is only water; but everybody likes water.”
― Mark Twain
It’s not that I really ever thought about water all that much. Water has always been pretty standard quality everywhere in the United States I have lived. As a kid I drank from the garden hose, getting that rubbery, iron and tinny taste – I can still remember. Never seemed to do us kids any harm. I never went out of my way to drink anything other than tap water until I moved back to California. Plastic bottles by the case were big for a while. Then everyone started carrying the hard plastic refillable containers with the snap lids. And today, we have every sort of insulated cup or mug or filter bottle. How did anyone survive drinking water out of streams, from park and school fountains, or hoses before we knew anything about bacteria, lead, PCBs, and flouride?
Water Consumption for Man and for Canine. How much water should I drink a day? It depends on your size and weight, and also on your activity level and where you live,” “In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day.” For example, 150 pounds (68 kilos), that would be 75 (2.2 litres) to 150 ounces (4.5 liters) of water a day. A dog weighing half as much, half this, – compiled from Webmd.com and healthypets.mercola.com
These days I have a pedestal that dispenses hot or chilled water -that is delivered in 5 gallon bottles every other week. And when it comes to Dexter and Comet, the only time I give them the “quality” water is when I am finishing out the last of the bottle (my dispenser displays a bright RED lamp and makes serious gurgles when the bottle is all but empty). These dogs must drink nearly a gallon or more between them every day. I’m not about to get them on my water dispenser plan.
Have I become one of those entitled fools who have to drink bottled water? I should repent of this foolish expense, but I love to make my morning coffee with it. I haven’t gone to the extreme of Perrier or other bottled sparkling water though. I don’t believe I could tell the difference between any particular brand or bottle. And in a pinch – if I am thirsty, I have no problem drinking “purified water” from the local 7-Eleven convenience store. But even my dogs are a bit finicky. I have not caught them drinking from a toilet ever since I gave them bottled water that was left over from a camping trip – because I was too lazy to fill their water bowl from the spigot.
It's a Dog's Life 