Silicon is one of the most common elements in the earth’s crust. It is always present in water and food in varying amounts. Higher amounts of Si are found in plant-based foods. About 20% of the total amount of silicon ingested with food and water comes with drinking water and drinks (including beer, which contains in average 20–25 mg/l of silicon)․ For higher animals and humans, silicon is generally not considered to be an essential nutrient. However, the importance of this element for human health is now supported by increasing research evidence. The biological role of silicon in human organism is still not clear, but it assumed to be necessary for processes of bone mineralization, collagen synthesis. It has a positive effect on the skin, hair, and nails, contributes to the prevention of atherosclerosis and Alzheimer disease. In the population of most Western countries, dietary Si intakes range from 20 to 50 mg/day. In addition to the beneficial effect of Si on health, questions regarding the adverse effect of this element on the body are also discussed in the literature. First of all, we are talking about the Russian authors’ researches in the field of drinking water hygiene. At present, the adequate and maximum admissible levels of Si consumption have not yet been established. Taking into account the results of research on humans and animals, some scientists have suggested a dietary intake of Si of about 25 mg/day. As for the standards of silicon content in drinking water, it is not regulated in the drinking water quality guidelines of the WHO and the European Union, as well as in the national normative documents of different countries. In the Russian Federation, as well as in the Republic of Armenia, in the hygienic requirements for water quality, Si is normalized according to the sanitary-toxicological index, with the value of the maximum admissible concentrations in drinking water amounting to 10 mg/l.

Public health surveys spanning decades have studied the nutritional status and its association with the health promotion and disease prevention․ Water is a nutritional component. Water is essential for digestion, circulation of nutrients, movement of substances across cell membranes, metabolism, and regulation of intracellular-extracellular concentration. These processes are optimized by the stringent defense of the central nervous system of body, water and fluid concentration. Recent scientific studies presented in this article show that low volume water intake is associated with adverse health outcomes. According to these studies, low daily water consumption activates the body’s homeostatic mechanisms with the participation of AVP to maintain the water-osmotic balance, contributes to the increased risk of developing chronic diseases. In different countries 25-33% of all adult population intakes less than 1.5 L of water (total intake) per day, which is significantly less than adequate water intake levels. To ensure optimal hydration, it is proposed that the optimal total water intake for healthy adults in temperate climates with mild to moderate physical activity should be from 2.5 to 3.5 liters per day․ Studies provide convincing evidence of the need for adequate fluid intake as a safe, simple preventive measure against various diseases.