Just because your water is clear, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s squeaky clean. Some microorganisms are so small that they can’t be seen by the naked eye. They can be in your drinking water if you’re not careful.
Fortunately, not all of these microorganisms are dangerous. Still, it would be best if you have top-grade water purification systems installed in your home if you want your drinking water to be pest-free. Read on to know more about the microorganisms found in water.
E. coli
Let’s start with the most common of them all, the E. coli. The virulent strain of these bacteria is said to cause gastroenteritis, Crohn’s disease, neonatal meningitis, urinary tract infection, and hemorrhagic colitis. Other strains that are actually living in your intestines are safe.
E. coli is said to be found in tap water. It’s quite common for health officials to rarely raise alarms when these bacteria get discovered in people’s homes. What they do look out for is when the amount of E. coli in drinking water gets too high.
In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency says that if only five out of 100 gathered water samples have E. coli, the water is still considered safe for drinking. That small amount of bacteria won’t pose any risk to the population.
Legionella pneumophila
This microorganism is deadlier than E. coli. It was responsible for 34 deaths and 221 infections back in 1976. It was considered to be a very effective lethal agent that the U.S. military even tried to use it as a weapon. They turned this bacterium into a biochemical weapon, with a 100% kill rate.
L. pneumophila is dangerous because it causes Legionnaire’s disease. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle aches, loss of coordination, and high fever.
Chaetomium sp.
This spore can also be found in tap water but rarely. It’s easy to detect if your drinking water is infected by this spore because Chaetomium sp. changes the smell of water. So, if your water has a certain smell that’s not right, best to throw it away and have your pipes cleaned and your water filtered properly.
Studies show that some species of Chaetomium aren’t dangerous. But the ones that are dangerous can cause an infection called Phaeohyphomycosis, which, in turn, can result in eye infections, swelling, and even lesions covering your whole body.
Naegleria fowleri
This microorganism is quite deadly, too, but scientists say that it’s very rare to get infected with this organism through drinking tainted water. To get infected by this amoeba, you’d need to snort the tainted water because that’s how this microorganism enters your body.
When Naegleria fowleri enters your body, it should raise some alarms because this amoeba’s favourite dish is your brain. It attacks the nervous system and causes meningoencephalitis, which can be fatal.
These are some of the microorganisms that could be found in tap or drinking water. Although some of them are harmless, it would be better to ensure that your water is free from any of these organisms, so make sure that your water is filtered properly.
