Waterborne Virus Safety Tips
With a recent focus on viral and bacterial impacts on your health, many homeowners are focusing on how to improve indoor air quality. However, many people are overlooking the most important aspect of health: clean water.
Clean water has always been a staple of public health, even back to ancient times. This is due to the fact that untreated water can harbour dangerous bacteria, viruses and parasites. With the proper technology, these threats are all eliminated by filtration and chemical treatment of municipal water supplies.
However, even recently people have seen small-scale failures of water treatment infrastructure, prompting emergency filtration efforts and boil orders. As a result, people are exploring home filtration options to help better protect themselves from potentially contaminated water.
Can the SARS Virus Live in Drinking Water?
The SARS virus is a respiratory virus that originated in China in the early 2000s. SARS is primarily transmitted by airborne contact but there is some evidence to show that the virus can survive in diarrhea from SARS patients, potentially contaminating groundwater.
SARS is a difficult illness to treat. No vaccine exists and since it is a virus, antibiotics have no effect. Treatment consists of supportive care with steroids and mechanical ventilation, if needed.
Waterborne Hepatitis E Virus
Hepatitis E is a little known virus that causes symptoms similar to the other types of hepatitis. Hepatitis E causes dangerous inflammation of the liver leading to nausea, jaundice and digestive issues.
Hepatitis E is known to follow the fecal-oral transmission route, meaning that the virus is transmitted through the feces of infected people. Contaminated feces can find their way into groundwater supplies, leading to contamination of groundwater.
No direct treatment exists for Hepatitis E. As with all illnesses, prevention is the best method of treatment. Hepatitis E can be prevented by proper filtration and treatment of water supplies. A vaccine has also been deployed to prevent infection although it is not widely available.
How to Protect Your Drinking Water
Although many homeowners consider their water safe, because of city-wide treatment plans, there could still be impurities finding their way into your water. Not only can piping contain traces of mineral and bacteria, but also there could even be animals making their way into larger plumbing systems.
To protect yourself from any waterborne disease, be sure to only consume safe, treated water. Filtration and chemical treatment are usually enough to destroy these viruses but having a home filtration system certainly can help protect you if your water source becomes contaminated.
Home filtration systems can help lessen the number of germs in your home water. Contact your local plumber to learn more about your options and get your water supply protected.
About Lodder Brothers Limited
Lodder Brothers Limited has been serving the Guelph, ON region since 1975. Serving residential and commercial customers, you can trust their award-winning service. Whether you want a home water treatment system, need a new hot water tank, or need a septic tank installed, they have the experience to help.
