HEALTH CONCERNS

CYSTS IN YOUR DRINKING WATER A Cyst is a closed pocket or pouch of tissue; a cyst can be filled with air, fluid, pus, or other material. Common water-borne microbiological cysts are Cryptosporidium or Giardia cysts. CRYPTOSPORIDIUM - Cryptosporidium is a parasite that enters lakes and rivers through sewage and animal waste. It causes cryptosporidiosis, a mild gastrointestinal disease. However, the disease can be severe or fatal for people with severely weakened immune systems. GIARDIA - Giardia lamblia is a parasite that enters lakes and rivers through sewage and animal waste. It causes gastrointestinal illness (e.g. diarrhea, vomiting, cramps). Giardia outbreaks can occur in communities where water supplies become contaminated with raw sewage. It can be contracted by drinking water from lakes or streams where water-dwelling animals such as beavers and muskrats, or where domestic animals such as sheep, have caused contamination.

BACTERIA AND VIRUSES

The presence of bacteria is a concern when considering the safety of drinking water. Bacterial contamination cannot be detected by sight, smell or taste. If you are experiencing or suspect bacterial contamination of your water source, a water test is the only way to evaluate whether bacteria is present in a water supply. Coliform bacteria are common in the environment and are generally not harmful. However, the presence of these bacteria in drinking water is usually a result of a problem with the treatment system or the pipes which distribute water, and indicates that the water may be contaminated with germs that can cause disease. Fecal Coliform and E coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. The coliform group of bacteria has 2 forms: Coliform: Widely distributed in the natural environment in soil and vegetation. Fecal Coliform: Called E-Coli, originate in the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals and can be found in their wastes. Bacterial contamination can result from a number of sources: Generally, Coliform detection, means that the water has been exposed to inundation or infiltration by flood waters or by surface runoff and that surface water is contaminating the water source. Flood waters commonly contain high levels of bacteria. Small depressions filled with flood water provide an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. Whenever a well is inundated by flood waters or surface runoff, bacterial contamination is likely. If the type of coliform is fecal, the water source has been contaminated by a septic system, or other fecal run-off either from animals or humans.Human and animal wastes are a primary source of bacteria in water. These sources of bacterial contamination include runoff from feedlots, pastures, dog runs, and other land areas where animal wastes are deposited. Additional sources include seepage or discharge from septic tanks and sewage treatment facilities. Bacteria from these sources can enter wells that are either open at the land surface, or do not have water-tight casings or caps. This makes it easy for insects, rodents, or animals to enter the well, providing other sources of contamination.

CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS

Atrazine - Atrazine is a widely used herbicide for control of broadleaf and grassy weeds, used in corn and soybeans and commonly found in drinking water. The risk of it showing up in drinking water, dramatically increases during flooding. It may be found in some public or private drinking water supplies. It may cause health problems if found in amounts greater than the health standard set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Lindane - Lindane is used primarily for treating wood-inhabiting beetles and seeds. It is also used as a dip for fleas and lice on pets, and livestock, for soil treatment, on the foliage of fruit and nut trees, vegetables, timber, ornamentals and for wood protection. Lindane enters surface water as a result of runoff from agricultural land and from home and garden applications where it is used as an insecticide. It may cause health problems if found in amounts greater than the health standard set by the EPA such as: high body temperature and pulmonary edema or liver and kidney damage.

ARSENIC Arsenic occurs naturally in ground waters and in some cases is introduced by certain industrial pollution. Some people who drink water containing arsenic in excess of EPA's standard over many years could experience skin damage or problems with their circulatory system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

NITRATES Although nitrates can occur naturally from decaying organic material such as on-site septic systems, the greatest source of nitrates in most areas is crop fertilizers. These fertilizers produce excellent crop yields, and conversely, they produce elevated nitrate levels in ground water in many rural areas. Industry emissions (high levels of nitric oxide) are also a culprit. Emissions are converted to nitrate and introduced to the water supply when it rains.Because healthy adults can consume high nitrate water with little or no effect, a nitrate problem can go unnoticed for a long time. Very young children, however, especially infants, are susceptible to nitrate poisoning which causes blue baby syndrome.Boiling water, unfortunately, increases the nitrate level rather than decreases it. Concerned parents who boil their infant's water should be aware of its nitrate level, since boiling two quarts of water down to one quart will double the nitrate level. Nitrate levels are affected by rain patterns and fertilizer application by local farmers. Heavy rainfall can increase or even decrease nitrates in a well, and nitrate results, like other parameter results, can vary greatly. Therefore, regular testing for nitrates is recommended.

TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS Dissolved solids (atoms) are extremely small, usually less than 8 ten thousandths of one micron in size. Some dissolved solids (e.g. hardness minerals, alkalinity, sulfate, etc.) are harmless but may cause objectionable taste and scale problems. Others, such as lead, nitrate, sodium, fluoride, arsenic, mercury, etc., can be harmful. The amount of these contaminants allowed in drinking water is limited by government standards. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) refers to the overall amount of all dissolved solids found in any one tap water sample.

LEAD Typically, lead gets into your water after the water leaves your local treatment plant or your well. That is, the source of lead in your home's water is most likely pipe or solder in your home's own plumbing. Lead is a very toxic metal, and causes serious cumulative damage to the brain, organs and blood cells over time. On average, it is estimated that lead in drinking water contributes between 10 and 20 percent of total lead exposure in young children. Infants, whose diet consists of liquids made with water - such as baby formula, are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning. You cannot see, taste, or smell lead dissolved in water, testing is the only sure way of telling whether or not there are harmful quantities of lead in your drinking water. Generally, water that is first drawn, after sitting for several hours in piping that contains lead, is much higher in lead, than after the pipes have been flushed. For this reason, when one is testing for lead, the water should be allowed to sit in the pipes over night, so a first draw, or worst case scenario can be determined. Testing is especially important in high-rise buildings where flushing might not work. You should be particularly suspicious if your home has lead pipes (lead is a dull gray metal that is soft enough to be easily scratched with a house key'), if you see signs of corrosion (frequent leaks, rust-colored water, stained dishes or laundry, or if your non-plastic plumbing is less than five years old.

CHROMIUM VI Chromium is ubiquitous in the environment, occurring naturally in the air, water, rocks and soil. It is used in stainless steel, electroplating of chrome, dyes, leather tanning and wood preservatives. It occurs in several forms, depending on pH, the most common being chromium VI. Natural sources of water contain very low concentrations of chromium. It is a micronutrient. High doses of chromium VI have been associated with birth defects and cancer. Plants and animals do not bioaccumulate chromium; therefore, the potential impact of high chromium levels in the environment is acute toxicity to plants and animals. In animals and humans this toxicity may be expressed as skin lesions or rashes and kidney and liver damage.

Courtesy of Kenmorewater.com US