Garth:
First, I am not talking about you specifically.
I am talking about umpires in "general" . . .
Bob has given a very nice, well thoughtout answer that makes sense.
Never, 25 or 30 years ago, did I see an umpire carry a thermos or bottle of water on to a field.
While it is true that I have worked much of my career in the Willamette Valley in the Pacific Northwest and in Seattle where there aren't to many 100* days -- BUT -- I have worked all up and down the West Coast and during the "good old days" it was rare to even have a drinking fountain in the dugouts.
Second, because of your health issues I have learned how important Hydration is yet I still could never be convinced to take a bottle of water to the field.
We are fortunate during summer baseball that "most" fields where we work there is some type of snack bar . . . these people always seem interested in keeping umpires "wet".
Thanks to Bob Lyle . . . great answer.
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