Common Water Contaminants and How to Avoid Them

Have you ever wondered what sort of water contamination you and your family may be exposed to from your water supply? Despite large technological advancements in our waterway infrastructure, water contamination remains a problem all around the world. A number of viruses, bacteria, and parasitic contaminants exist in drinking water that have been known to cause serious illness. Most of the time, this is due to these contaminants being present in the different water sources around the world that funnel together and in turn provide us with the water necessary to lead a well-nourished life.

This very reason is why it’s imperative to practice and invest in the best water treatment processes in order to be sure that the water provided around the world is the safest it can be for every sip. Failure to notice these contaminants in any water you may find yourself using around the world could lead to life-threatening conditions as mentioned before.

However, there are a number of ways in which these contaminants can enter the waterways, which makes an already difficult filtering process that much harder to perfect. For instance, rain is a necessary component of a successful farming operation, but the rainwater can cause fecal matter from farms to trickle into nearby water sources such as small rivers or streams. This in turn causes the water to become infected with E. Coli, a bacteria known for causing frequent vomiting and moderate diarrhea. Even some home-based appliances can become threats if not maintained properly. An example of this would be a home’s air conditioning system, or an exterior sprinkler system. These systems can harbor the bacteria known as Legionella which can cause Legionnaires disease.

Other, perhaps less known bacteria and viruses, are equally as threatening. Most notably, pseudomonas and giardia lamblia. Pseudomonas is a pathogen that has been known to cause a number of illnesses ranging from pneumonia all the way to UTIs, and sometimes even sepsis. It is particularly dangerous to hospital patients that are utilizing equipment such as ventilators or catheters. Giardia Lamblia is a parasite that is most often caught by drinking water or using ice that was made from sources where this parasite lives. In addition to this, it is highly contagious. So even those that haven’t consumed water from a contaminated source can still find themselves becoming infected. Symptoms of infection often include diarrhea, stomach cramping, and increased internal temperatures.

For more information regarding what could be lurking in your water and how to combat these various pathogens, consider reviewing the infographic courtesy of LiquiTech.

Chris Ebener is a mechanical engineer for LiquiTech, with a proven track record of diagnosing and remediating public water system issues of various sizes and complexity. Ebener is an expert on the biochemical makeup of facility water systems, system architecture and various methodologies of public drinking water treatment.

Common Water Contaminants and How to Avoid Them

Trackbacks

Speak Your Mind Cancel reply