Drinking Dirty Water: Contamination 101

Drinking Dirty Water: Contamination 101 is about understanding what might be lurking in your water. Any number of the most dangerous water contaminants known to humans have no taste, smell, or appearance. But there are some contaminants that are more obvious making the water that you use to drink and cook very unpalatable.

Water is one of the most underrated and overlooked aspects of our everyday life. We turn the kitchen or bathroom faucet on and we get water.

How clean is it?

Water is very important and its managed by both the government and the states. They have set standards for purity and safety. There are many different types of contaminants. From biological to pharmaceutical and microplastics. Some minerals are toxic, but some are vital for our body to function properly.

In this blog post, I go over the different areas of contamination that you may find in a water source. Water is an essential part of our lives and we cannot live without it for more than a couple of days.

Whats in my water source?

Microorganisms

These types of contaminates are based on one-celled live organisms. They come from a variety of sources: decaying matter, sewage, and agricultural runoff. Microorganisms can cause health problems if ingested in large quantities over time.

The two main types of microorganisms are bacteria and viruses. Bacteria are everywhere and some strains are necessary for digestion and the production of yogurt or cheese. However, other strains can cause food poisoning, skin rashes, and even meningitis. Infections from viruses can happen when people touch feces. They can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.

Most of these come from animal or human feces. Giardia lamblia as well as Cyclospora, Cyclospora, and Cryptosporidium are common parasites that cause intestinal illness. Symptoms include stomach cramps, nausea, and dehydration.

Chemicals

Many chemical contaminants are related to the source water treatment process itself. The water supply is treated with a variety of chemicals to disinfect organic material for human consumption.

Chlorine has been used since 1898. But there have been some concerns that chlorine reacts with organic material and forms dangerous chemicals. Byproducts are total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Dibromochloromethane, and Chloroform all of which potentially contribute to cancer. Check here and enter your zip code to see if any of these are in your water!

Another chemical used in treatment is Aluminum Sulfate, which helps remove particles from the water but it also causes a bitter taste and an unpleasant odor.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are another area of chemicals. Things like petroleum, antifreeze, insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, glycols, and many organic acids and salts.

Heavy Metals

Water contamination by heavy metals occurs when elevated levels of these elements are found in drinking water. Heavy metals can come from a variety of sources: natural deposits, mining and manufacturing operations, and runoff from streets and buildings.

The most common heavy metal found in drinking water is lead. Elevated levels can cause health problems such as gastrointestinal problems, anemia, neurological disorders, and renal failure.

Mercury, arsenic, and cadmium are three different types of metals that can be found in water. They usually come from nature and can be harmful to humans if consumed over time.

Other heavy metals that may be found in water supplies are zink, uranium, and chromium. This is just a small sample of heavy metals that contaminate water.

Radioactive element

There are a lot of different types of radioactive materials, most commonly uranium and thorium. These come from natural things like rocks and dirt.

Uranium is a radioactive element that can cause health problems if ingested in large quantities. It can cause kidney damage and cancer.

Radon is another radioactive isotope found in dirt and rocks. And if your water source is from a well, radon may have contaminated your water.

Microplastics

Microplastics are small pieces of plastic that come from big pieces of plastic. You can find them in the ocean, lakes, and rivers.

Microplastics are an intriguing and pressing topic because this could be a new major cause of health issues to threaten humans with long-term effects.

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic less than five millimeters in length. They can be pieces of older plastic or new manufactured types like the ones used in skincare products.

But this is a serious problem. It affects our environment, the food chain, and the health of humans.

Anticipating that there will be continued research into what micro-plastics can do within human beings’ bodies over time has many people worried about their future health implications.

They cause pollution by entering natural ecosystems. They come from many different sources, including cosmetics, clothes, and industrial processes.

Microplastics have become a bigger topic in the media. As scientists and researchers uncover the true extent of how microplastics are contaminating everything from our food to our water, it is becoming increasingly important for people and what this means for their health.

Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals come from many different sources. Some are prescription drugs like antibiotics and toothpaste, and others are birth control pills and cough syrups.

Some drugs can cause health problems. They might affect your thyroid (and reproductive) system. They might cause cancer or make you more likely to have an allergic reaction of some sort.

A lot of pharmaceuticals dissolve easily into water and are nearly invisible to the naked eye. Ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and acetaminophen are a small handful of pharmaceuticals that you can’t see.

Lets Recap

Many different types of contaminants are found in water. Some of these contaminants include viruses, parasites, chemicals, heavy metals, radionuclides, microplastics, and Pharmaceuticals. Each of these contaminants can have a variety of health effects if ingested in large quantities. Water is a necessity of life. Sources of contamination include industrial runoff to pharmaceuticals found in our personal hygiene items. Awareness that contaminates are all around us in every aspect will help make your choice of water filter just that much easier.

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