water
Queenstown's water tastes of nothing at all, and that tastelessness is the whole brand. But twice now — in 1984 and again in 2023 — the same lake intake has made the town sick. A look at the gap between pure mountain water and what actually reaches the tap.
water
Fluoride in your tap water is a medical intervention delivered without consent. Most of Europe said no. New Zealand said yes — by government directive, later found by courts to have inadequately considered the right to refuse medical treatment.
water
What's actually in your water, what happens to it between the treatment plant and your glass, and why understanding that changed what I do about it.
fluoride
Fluoride is usually talked about as a tiny concentration in water. But over decades that adds up. At roughly 0.7–1.0 mg per litre and ~2 litres a day, an 80-year life yields about 40–60 grams of fluoride just from water. The debate isn’t about acute poisoning, but lifelong physiological exposure.
fluoride
Fluoride is added to many water supplies to reduce tooth decay, but it’s also a chemical with systemic effects. Policies about fluoridation are set by health authorities, yet debates continue around dosage, benefits and long-term exposure in drinking water.
