Pathogens in municipal water
Most of us never used to have worry about the quality of our water and we can all remember when we drank water straight from the
kitchen tap. But, over the years something has changed ...
"Three years after Sydney's water crisis, the dangerous Cryptosporidium and Giardia were still being found in the city's water supplies, a CSIRO report has revealed. The report also warned that people's health was in danger because water was not being monitored for dangerous metals....."
Sydney Morning Herald - December, 2001
With occasional outbreaks of Giardia and Cryptosporidium to the
purity and quality of our water supplies is no longer entirely certain and while
most people can recover from an upset stomach, diarrhoea or vomiting, no-one really wants to subject themselves to such
an experience.
Waterborne Disease Outbreaks On the Rise
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, outbreaks of waterborne disease are increasing and has led to a recognition by public health authorities that waterborne pathogens are present at endemic (constant baseline) levels.
This contamination increased the risks for everyone but especially
for people not in optimal health. If you or a loved one suffers from immuno-deficient conditions caused by;
Then a waterborne pathogen can have a devastating effect. According
to medical statistics these people are 10 to 1,000 times more likely to die from
pathogenic infections than a healthy person.
Under these conditions a water filter that
reduces harmful contaminants is simply not an option - it is a necessity.
Young and Elderly Are Also at Risk
Health problems caused by contaminated drinking water is not limited to those with pre-existing medical conditions. The elderly, pregnant women, infants and young children are also at risk
because of immature or weakened immune systems.
Some studies have found children aged from 2 to 5 years who drank
unfiltered tap water suffered from 40 percent more infections than those who
drank filtered tap water. While the elderly are at higher risk for infections
due to changes in immune system and gastrointestinal functions that occur with
aging.