Tenne ssee American Water’s well-known image – Phillip D. Glass – has joined the American Heart Association “Go Red” initiative by donning a red shirt with the organization’s logo. The purpose of the Go Red campaign is to raise heart health awareness. Because cardiovascular diseases remain the greatest health threat to Americans, Tennessee American Water is helping draw attention to the importance of adopting healthy habits – including drinking more water – to help support heart health.
Perched atop the Tennessee American Water tank that faces Amnicola Highway in Chattanooga, Phillip D. Glass is an icon in the community. He is a large metal cut out of a Tennessee American Water employee who tips his hard hat at motorists passing by while greeting them with, “Good Morning Chattanooga,” which is painted on the tank. His name is marked by a label on the pocket of his shirt.
On February 4, Tennessee American Water employees joined Phillip D. Glass by wearing red to kick off their company’s wellness February challenge focused on heart health. Examples of the month-long activities that employees can choose from if they are participating include reaching 10,000 steps daily, taking a moment to breathe, using more spices instead of salt, and perhaps most fitting for the water utility – using a refillable water.
A 2021 survey of 2,004 Americans conducted by OnePoll on behalf of American Water reveals that the average respondent only drinks 4.5 cups of water every day. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommends 11.5 cups a day for women and 15.5 cups a day for men. According to Dr. Audrey Sue Cruz, Board Certified Internal Medicine Physician, the exact amount of recommended water intake depends on the individual and factors like your health, how active you are and where you live. Dr. Cruz partnered with American Water during the 2021 Drinking Water Week to provide tips on water and health. You can follow her on Instagram at @dr.audreyxsue.
Tennessee American Water encourages customers to use reusable cups or refillable water bottles to stay hydrated. We stand by our water quality results, meeting all water quality standards as set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. By using a reusable or refillable container for your tap water, you are having a better impact on the environment. Single use plastics like disposable water bottles require an enormous amount of energy to produce and take over 1,000 years to biodegrade.
While Tennessee American Water and Phillip D. Glass draw special attention to the importance of heart health by “going red” in February, we recognize the importance of paying attention to how much water you drink on every day for your overall health and our proud to provide clean, safe, quality water to the community.
