Healthy water equals healthy state
The next time you go for a run, a bike ride or brisk walk, think about this: We, as Iowans, are striving to become the healthiest state in the nation, and yet our water quality is dead last compared to other states. Unfortunately, this is a dimension of our state that we have chosen to accept. Often the recreational trails we use daily travel next to murky, dirty water, which at certain times is unsafe for swimming.
The question we raise? If we spend so much time thinking about the health of our bodies, why do we not pay attention to the “health” of our water, also known to many as water quality?
The simple answer would be we can treat the water to make it safe for drinking. And, yes, for a price, that is true. However, several years ago when we started the Healthy State Initiative, our goal was to stamp out obesity and tobacco use in this state because we knew we could save billions of dollars in health costs if successful.
Today, we are a healthier state in body, with many success stories of people losing weight, quitting smoking, becoming more mobile and no longer needing medication for high blood pressure and other health problems.
We believe the same can happen to the health of our water. To make this happen, however, we must take action.
ProH20 is a campaign set forth by the Iowa Environmental Council. Its goal is to create awareness of why water quality is so important for the future of Iowa.
To whole-heartedly embrace the Healthiest State Initiative, our most valuable natural resource must become part of this charge. After all, the average adult human body is 50 to 65 percent water. Research shows that mental performance and physical coordination become impaired with only a 1 percent dehydration rate in our bodies. Water is important to our health!
Just like unhealthy lifestyles lead to chronic disease, apathy toward water quality in this state will eventually lead to chronic issues in our Iowa economy. The time is now for all Iowans to get engaged with water quality issues and actions that can make a difference.
Action steps such as adopting a stream, learning to test water quality, creating stream buffers or rain gardens and engaging in water quality policy are just a few of the steps Iowans can take to help with water quality. Health-minded people can learn more about positive actions for our state’s water quality by joining others at the ProH2O gathering on Wednesday, Oct. 8.
For more information, go to www.iaenvironment.org.
Many Iowans have taken the Healthiest State Initiative to heart and have embraced healthy eating, exercise and less stressful lifestyles. Let’s do the same for our waters in Iowa.
The return on our time invested will be better water quality, more plush waterways, and healthier fish and wildlife — all of which play a role in Iowa gaining in its efforts to be the healthiest state in the nation.
AUTHORS:
DR.
RICHARD L. DEMING, top, is medical director of the Mercy Cancer Center.
WILLIAM STOWE is general manager of the Des Moines Water Works. Contact: Heggen@ia