'Alkaline' water is the way it’s supposed to be when it comes out of the ground. (http://watertreestore.com)

By C. Campbell, Staff Writer

cody@southerntorch.com

FORT PAYNE, Ala. — In January 2015, a new business opened in Fort Payne near Stevi B’s. While it sells drinking water, The Water Tree provides its customers with water that they might not be able to obtain so easily anywhere else in the area.

“We sell alkaline, antioxidant water, which isn’t the same as the water you can buy in stores,” said Jerry Lockhart, who is co-owner of The Water Tree with his daughter, Sarah.

According to Lockhart, “Alkaline water is the way water is supposed to be when you get it from the ground.” However, he explained that, due to various forms of pollution, it is virtually impossible to get such water anymore.

It is because of this that Dream Tree, a company based in Houston, Texas, began opening stores like The Water Tree to provide the public with the water their body truly needs.

According to informational handouts available at the store, researchers have found that alkaline water is beneficial to the health of the human body, from hair to vital internal organs.

“We value our customers’ health, just like we value our own,” he said.

Lockhart explained the process by which the alkaline water sold at The Water Tree takes on that form. Beginning with ordinary tap water, it is then run through 14 different filters that remove the various chemicals and other material in the water.

Once everything has been filtered out, leaving just the bonded oxygen and hydrogen atoms, the water then goes through another group of filters which adds important minerals to make the water more alkaline.

After the water has been turned into an alkaline, antioxidant liquid, it is stored in a tank until the faucet is turned on. Lockhart emphasized that there is nothing to hide, that the entire filtration system is in the open for their customers to see.

The Water Tree sells their water for $1 per gallon, with gallon jugs available for customers to purchase. They also have larger containers, able to hold up to five gallons, for sale. Customers may also bring their own jugs, if they so choose.

In addition, The Water Tree carries other items, such as sport bottles and bottled water that they receive from Dream Tree in Houston.

The Water Tree is open Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM, and is located on Gault Avenue North, next to Shipman Heating and Cooling.