I don't recall what started the fad. Maybe it was contaminated water somewhere, or something of that sort.
About water consumption, I read the rule and I'm sticking to it. Take your weight, divide it by two and that's how many ounces one should drink per day. I don't care what it is as long as it's liquid. I include soups.
That’s what I do too! I also add half a packet of Liquid IV to my water bottle to make it more palatable. It has a lot of sodium tho, which is why I divide it in two. I can really tell the difference the next day if I don’t drink at least 60 oz of water every day.