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Microbial Pathogens |
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Pathogens in drinking water are serious health risks. Pathogens are disease-producing microorganisms, which include bacteria such as Salmonella and E. Coli, protozoans (such as giardia lamblia), viruses, and parasites. They get into drinking water when the water source is contaminated by sewage and animal waste, or when wells are improperly sealed and constructed. They can cause gastroenteritis, salmonella infection, dysentery, shigellosis, hepatitis, and giardiasis (a gastrointestinal infection causing diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas).
The presence of coliform bacteria, which is generally a harmless bacteria, may indicate other contamination to the drinking water system.
Most Water Filters DO NOT Make Water SAFE From Microbes
Many people mistakenly believe that their water is safe because it has been put through a sediment or carbon filter or reverse-osmosis system of some kind. THIS IS NOT TRUE. Reverse Osmosis systems rely on membranes that can "break-through" over time. Most typical water treatment filters are of no use against pathogenic organisms. Carbon blocks or ceramic filters that are rated at 1 micron absolute can guard against infections from cysts like Cryptosporidium and Giardia, but cannot provide protection against bacteria. Even filters that claim they can reduce bacteria by 99.99% are not acceptable. The 0.01% left in the water can easily be far more than a dose capable of causing infection.
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