HEALTH: How can drinking cause dehydration?

Why drinking responsibly means hydrating responsibly

Whether celebrating a holiday or the end of a work week, many people kick back a glass of their favorite beverage to toast the occasion. If that beverage is alcohol, we hope you drink responsibly, but with that comes responsible hydration.

Did you know alcohol dehydrates you? drinkaware UK explained that alcohol acts as a diuretic, acting on your kidneys to make you expel more liquid than you are consuming.

That's what increases your number of trips to the bathroom when consuming alcohol: Once you head to the bathroom to pass the liquid you just drank, you'll feel the urge to go again soon after because of the diuretic effect drawing additional liquid from your body. That can lead to dehydration and increase the likelihood of a rough day-after.

We're in the wastewater-treatment business, so we're prepared to handle as many trips to the bathroom as you need. But we do encourage keeping water in your drinking routine. It can reduce the impacts of alcohol on your system, and it's a healthier option overall. We'll even give you a fancy drink name to go along with that glass of tap if that helps.

Hydrate responsibly, celebrate responsibly, and flush responsibly.

Image credit Flickr Maya83 Creative Commons

LIST: 5 naughty things that will earn you a visit from Krampus this Christmas

Krampus says be good to your plumbing and your environment for goodness sake.

Don't be naughty this year.

Of course, St. Nicholas is known for bringing gifts to kids on the Nice list. The Naughty list earns children a more frightening visit from Krampus, a creature of European tradition who hands our more punishment than presents.

We want everyone to do the right thing and protect water. But if Krampus knows who's been bad or good, these are the Naughty things to avoid.

DIY: How to protect your plumbing in style when entertaining holiday houseguests

Some people have a habit of flushing things they shouldn't flush: Disposable wipes, paper towels, wrappers, cotton swabs, and a whole lot more. And when you're entertaining guests this holiday season, if you don't know their habits, they might be flushing something in your bathroom that could cause a problem.

Here's something that might come in handy. Download and print one of our 5x7 inserts [PDF], find a frame around the house, and place your new reminder somewhere near your bathroom sink or toilet.

Let us know if you put one to use. Happy holidays.

2016: 3 ways water could take center stage at Thursday's Republican debate #GOPdebate

Senator Marco Rubio sips water during the GOP response to the 2013 State of the Union address.

We don't often talk politics. We talk water. But with the first 2016 Republican Debate taking place this Thursday right here in Cleveland, hey let's talk both.

Water could very well take center stage with the candidates this week, and we see three areas where it's most likely to happen.

1. Public speaking and staying hydrated

When Paul Ryan (R-WI) debated now Vice President Joe Biden in 2012, much attention was paid to his many sips of water between questions.

Whatever side of the aisle you're on, professional public speakers do recommend drinking plenty of water before big speaking engagements to keep oneself hydrated and dry-mouth-free on stage.

But as Senator Marco Rubio can attest, drinking water—bottled water BTW—during a big speech caaaaan get a little awkward.

VIDEO: Sing along with the #12clogs of Christmas

Sinks, toilets, and drains in general tend to get a little extra work during the holidays, especially if you're hosting house guests.

That's why we created our #12clogs of Christmas infographic last year, and now have put it to song, to help you remember what to keep out of your toilets and drains.

RELATED STORIES:

• INFOGRAPHIC: 12 clogs of Christmas
• TIPS: 15 things not to flush
• WHY? Here's why water lines burst the way they do.
• HOME: 10 tips to protect your plumbing when entertaining this Christmas

Special thanks to Ruthie Spearman and Michael Uva for the audio!

LIST: Flush or fiction? 5 of our favorite toilet bowl myths and legends

Handy wipes are flushable: False.

They may say flushable on the package. They are common in bathrooms across the country. But because disposable wipes don't break down in the sewer system like toilet paper does, they can clog a home's plumbing and cause major issues in city treatment systems. Throw wipes in the trash rather than the toilet.

A city sewer system failed when the flow surged beyond capacity during a Super Bowl halftime show: False.

It's a legend that resurfaces every January as teams vie for the big game, but legend is all it is. Green Bay Metro Sewer District said even under the most extreme restroom-rush conditions, the likelihood of a major metropolitan sewer system being unable to handle the flow is slim to none.

Toilet water can splash onto your toothbrush: True.

The Discovery Channel's Mythbusters team proved aerosol droplets released from a flushing toilet can be shown to affect surfaces in restrooms. But the test also showed the reaches to which fecal bacteria can be found all throughout the house, something we're well aware of.

RELATED STORIES

• TECH: How do astronauts go to the bathroom in space?
• VIDEO: How does the International Space Station toilet actually work?
• HISTORY: What were bathrooms like in 1776?
• TIPS: 15 things you shouldn't flush (but probably do)

The rotation of the earth changes the direction water flows around a toilet bowl: False.

Does the direction of a toilet bowl's spinning water change depending on the hemisphere you're in? No. The earth's rotation does cause something known as the Coriolis effect, but the force of a flushing drain is, as How Stuff Works explains, "much too great to be influenced by something as miniscule as a single, 360-degree turn over the span of a day."

You should flush old or outdated medications down the toilet rather than just throwing them away: False.

Flushing pharmaceutical products is harmful to our water resources. Wastewater treatment plants are unable to remove these medications from the sewage, which means they end up in our waterways. It's best to drop old and unused medications in safe disposal locations and community collection events so they can be disposed of properly.

WEIRD: Minnesota man faces charges after clogging toilets with pounds of nails

We have an entire list of things people shouldn't flush down the toilet. Looks like we need to add another one to it.

A St. Paul, Minnesota man is being charged with first-degree property damage after he was alleged to have dumped pounds of hardware-store nails down toilets in at least three different locations, causing thousands of dollars in damage.

TECH: How to save your new iPhone 6+ if it falls in the toilet [#waittotweet]

Whether you're waiting in line for Apple's new iPhone 6 or still rocking your Blackberry, this can be useful.

Or better yet, you could just wait to tweet.

TIPS: 5 common car repairs and replacements to protect the environment

Many Americans are seeking more sustainable alternatives to common household cleaners and chemicals. That's not always easy when it comes to maintaining your car.

Although there are few alternatives to automotive fluids, there are still many things that can be done to lessen the impact our cars have on the environment.

In the course of maintaining automobiles, motorcycles, boats, lawnmowers, and other machines, it is important to dispose of all fluids properly because most are hazardous to human and animal health and the environment.

Here are five common automotive tips, repairs and replacements.

HOME: A healthy environment starts at home, and it might start with these 33 tips.

If this is what it looks like under your kitchen sink, there has to be a better way. Better for you, better for our water, and better for the environment.

From eco-friendly cleaning solutions, to disposal tips for those trash items that don't belong on your curb, we have a handbook full of helpful information to protect our environment and make your home healthier.

Of the more than 30 tips, instructions and resources we highlight as you scroll or download the handbook below, here are just a few:

• Why you shouldn't pour fat or grease down your garbage disposal
• How to get rid of old outdated prescription medications safely
• Why fluorescent bulbs don't belong in your trash
• What do do with old motor oil, car batteries, or tires
• How to control your lawn or yard without chemicals

If you would like to request copies of this handbook for an event or community group, contact us.

Healthy Environment Starts at Home

TIPS: 10 unexpected uses for vinegar for cleaning, unclogging, and cats (Video)

From eliminating garbage-can odors to clearing clogs, vinegar has a lot more uses than just cooking. More importantly, it can eliminate the need for hazardous chemicals that can affect your plumbing and our environment.




For more healthy home tips, check out our "A healthy environment starts at home" handbook, a handy reference for recycling resources, disposal methods, and cleaning alternatives that will keep our water clean and environment safe.

PIC: Just Oprah fixing her toilet.

Originally posted at DailyMail.co.uk

Even media queen Oprah Winfrey needs to take care of her throne.

Gayle King, a friend of Oprah's, shared a photo earlier this month that proves anyone can benefit by knowing a thing or two about household plumbing basics.

Thanks to NYC Water for sharing a story that featured the pics, but the story itself was even better: "Seizing the throne," a quick counsel on common toilet maintenance. Complete with a handy graphic:

TIPS: How to build an igloo. Plus 7 other ways to protect home, self during deep freeze

Image credit wikipedia

Social media across Ohio is teeming with all sorts of winter tips, and they're good ones based on the deep freeze hitting us today.

Here are eight more handy winter resources, from plumbing safety to traveling tips, including two that might not have made other local lists.

WIPES: Yep, still not flushable. Keep wipes out of pipes, Consumer Reports confirms

It's a headline we've been seeing for some time, but it's a tip worth sharing again: Flushable wipes really aren't flushable, and if you flush them you could be asking for plumbing problems.

This time, it's a story from WLS-TV out of Chicago.



RELATED: 15 things you shouldn't flush

RELATED: Quick and simple tip to help protect your plumbing if entertaining on New Year's Eve

TIPS: Stylish way to tell house guests you don't want them clogging your toilet during the holidays

Some people have a habit of flushing things they shouldn't flush: Disposable wipes, paper towels, wrappers, cotton swabs, and a whole lot more. And when you're entertaining guests this holiday season, if you don't know their habits, they might be flushing something in your bathroom that could cause a problem.

Here's something that might come in handy. Download and print one of our 5x7 inserts [PDF], find a frame around the house, and place your new reminder somewhere near your bathroom sink or toilet.

Let us know if you put one to use. Happy holidays.

WEATHER: Melting snow, heavy rain, flood warnings in the forecast

With snow on the ground and heavy rain in the forecast, be prepared.

Some of our local Cleveland weather friends are predicting several inches of rain likely this weekend. With snow still standing on the saturated ground, it is possible that the rainfall could affect areas prone to flooding. What steps can you take in advance? Video after the jump.

TIPS: The #12clogs of Christmas [#infographic and video]

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but here's a wish list of a different kind.

If you whistle while you work preparing for holiday gatherings, here's a new take on a Christmas tune that will help you (or your guests) remember what not to put down the drain.

HOME: Holiday stress? Why water lines burst the way they do.

Photo courtesy justclaire, flickr

If you've every experienced a frozen or burst water line at home (our condolences if you have), "inconvenient" doesn't begin to describe it. However, the word "interesting" might.

We came across a technical but very educational blog post by Nick Berry as featured on Popular Science answering the question, "Why do pipes burst the way they do?"

VIDEO: Flushable wipes maybe not so much

Are flushable wipes really flushable? Perhaps for convenience, but they are not without problems beyond the drain.

Our friends at the National Association of Clean Water Agencies posted a link on their Facebook page about a city in Canada facing significant wastewater-treatment process issues because flushable diapers and wipes are not breaking down. The only thing breaking down is their equipment.



I asked our Southerly Wastewater Treatment Center maintenance manager and our assistant superintendent if this is a localized problem or if we experience the same problems in our processes. Kevin Zebrowski answered it's a little bit of both.