drinking water testing

Common Diseases Caused by Contaminated Drinking Water

Unsafe drinking water can lead to many diseases, so it is important to regularly check the quality of your drinking water, particularly if you get your water from a private well. Drinking water testing labs can help you determine whether or not you should be concerned about potential pathogens in your water.

Salmonella

Salmonella is commonly found in public water supplies and private wells. It is caused by a bacteria found in waste products that come from human and animal sources. Symptoms include abdominal cramping, fever, and diarrhea, and it can last anywhere from a few days to a week. In some cases, medical treatment is needed, particularly in people who are immune-surpressed.

Hepatitis A

Hepetitis A affects liver function, though it can also attack other systems in the body. It is caused by ingesting even microscopic amounts of fecal matter, which can be present in water supplies that have become contaminated after flooding, or when a well’s structure has been breached.

Cryptosporidium

Caused by a parasitic organism that can survive traditional chlorination methods used to sanitize water, cryptosporidium causes nausea, weight loss, vomiting, dehydration, and abdominal cramping. These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on the severity of the infection and the initial health of those infected.

The best way to prevent diseases caused by contaminated drinking water is to use drinking water testing labs to regularly check the safety of your water. If you are even a little unsure about your water, you can boil your tap water or use bottled water until you are sure about the safety of the water that flows from your taps.

Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that can be found in the air and in water. When breathed in, it can cause lung cancer. Drinking water containing radon may also cause cancer, which is why you should consider contacting a water testing lab if you have concerns.

Not everyone needs to worry about the presence of radon in drinking water. Radon is only found in water supplies that come from the ground, so you should only be concerned if you have well water. Since having your well water tested annually is recommended, you really only need to talk to your lab about including radon testing in your annual water inspection.

Currently, the EPA only regulates drinking water from community wells, with regards to radon gas. If your water supply comes from a public well, it will already go through testing for the presence of radon. Homeowners with private wells are responsible for their own testing, and there are no EPA regulations on the amount of acceptable radon in your water.

If radon is found in your water, there are several things you can do to protect your drinking supply. Your water testing lab will help you determine which contaminants are present in your water, and can help you come up with viable solutions for improving the quality of your water.

Remember to have your private well water tested at least once per year by a reputable water testing lab, and be sure to ask the lab to test for the presence of radon in your water supply.

Making sure your family has safe drinking water is always a top concern. Lead in drinking water can lead to serious health problems, so if you are concerned about lead levels in your drinking water, you should have it tested. Here are some things to know about lead before you test drinking water:

• Lead can get into your water supply in a number of ways. Corrosion of your pipes and fittings is just one source of lead contamination. Your water can also become contaminated after staying in your pipes for extended periods of time before being consumed. The source of your water can also be a concern, as some water bodies and tables have a higher presence of lead than others.

• You will not be able to taste the lead in your water, so testing is the only way to know how much of it is present in your water. Unlike removing disease-causing pathogens, boiling water may not remove lead from your drinking water. Once you have your water tested, you can decide on the next steps to ensuring the safety of your drinking water supply.

• There are some ways to minimize your family’s exposure to lead in drinking water. Always run the tap before using the water for cooking, drinking, bathing or brushing your teeth. You should feel the temperature change before you begin using the water. Always use cold water for cooking, never hot water.

If you believe that your water may contain high levels of lead, you should test the drinking water in your home. This will help you make decisions about where you obtain drinking water for your family, keeping everyone safe and healthy.

How often do you spare a thought to what is in your drinking water? People who have water wells on their property are often quite informed about the condition of their water, because they send samples to drinking water testing labs. When your drinking water comes from a municipal source, you often tend to assume it is safe, simply because there are standards. But did you know that something as simple as a water main break on the other side of town, or a flash flood in the area, can affect your drinking water?

Drinking water testing is not something that only those with water wells should be concerned with. Your family could be unknowingly drinking bacteria, chemicals or other dangerous particles in their water. If you do not know what is in your water, you may be taking some kind of fluoride supplement when your water already has fluoride in it. When you wash your hair, if it feels coarse and stiff after washing, then you may have some hard water deposits in your water that are building up on your hair and skin.

Knowing what is in your water is simply a matter of conducting drinking water testing. It is not expensive, and could save you medical bills, illness and discomfort. If your municipal water source does not offer water quality reports, you can easily have a sample tested, yourself. Any time there is a disruption, such as a main break, earthquake or flood, your drinking water quality could change, so be aware and have your water tested, to make sure your family stays safe and healthy.