Bacteria and other microorganisms are found in everyone in the environment, and even our bodies host several types of them. Therefore, it’s no surprise that we can find them in our drinking water supply. However, you don’t need to fret about them because most of them don’t mean harm to us. Nonetheless, there are a few bad fishes, which can make us sick. Hence, let’s discuss some harmful bacteria found in drinking water if the water is not treated.
Some Harmful Bacteria That Can Be Found In Drinking Water Supply:
Coliform Bacteria:
These are typically found in the environment and your water supply. These are also good indicators of harmful bacteria in your water supply. A high concentration of these may tell us that there must be a problem in the cleaning somewhere, or soil might have come into contact with the water.
One particularly pesty and detrimental species of coliform bacteria is the E.Coli. They can enter into the water stream through contact with fecal matter. To put things into perspective, this may indicate there might be seepage from the sewerage into the drinking water supply. E.coli can induce annoying short-term symptoms like cramping, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and fever due to intestinal inflammation.
Enterococci:
These can roam free in your drinking water again due to contamination from fecal matter. Now, the reason behind the contamination can be the same as we discussed above. However, they take little time to unravel their malicious intent once in the water supply. The symptoms are similar to those we discussed earlier, but the infection can be more devastating for those with a weak immune system. Hence, adversely affecting elders and infants.
Salmonella:
This family of bacteria can also enter your drinking water if it contacts sewage. The symptoms of infection range from chills, fever, pain to diarrhea. The symptoms we discussed may start to appear after one to three days after consumption.
Legionella:
They tend to thrive in warm waters, and aging pipe infrastructure is to blame if they are found in your water stream. They can be pretty dangerous when aerosolized, such as using the water in the shower. Then they can enter your body when you breathe in tiny water droplets carrying legionella. These notorious families of bacteria may cause Legionnaires disease, a type of pneumonia. Pneumonia is a disease that affects your respiratory system causing symptoms like fever, shortness of breath, cough, and muscle aches. However, you can’t take this infection lightly because it may take a grim turn if not treated quickly.
The Way Forward:
The bacterial infection we discussed might shake the ground below our feet, but we don’t need to worry about anything if we use well-treated drinking water. Hence, the problem with harmful bacteria in drinking water commonly arises if you use a private well. However, there are ways you can treat it, using great filters and chlorination. Visit Clean Liquid for more insights that can help you keep your family safe. Call us at 713-253-0100 to learn more about how we can help.