Bacteria, viruses and other organisms are everywhere in our everyday environment, some are helpful to mankind, but others can be quite harmful. It is now generally understood that despite their small size, the total weight of all bacteria on our planet likely exceeds that of all other organisms combined. We have added this page to our website to give you a general understanding of waterborne organisms, and the best modern methods available in the water treatment industry to combat them. Although most municipal water supply systems are safe, many of these “bugs” are more common in well water. The only way to find out if your water supply is safe for sure is to have it tested by your health department, a local laboratory, or a trained water conditioning contractor like Mr. Water Professional Water Treatment.

Total coliform bacteria are a collection of mostly harmless microorganisms that live and reproduce in relatively large numbers in the intestines of humans and warm and cold blooded animals. Although they aid in the digestion of food in animals, they can be present in soil, vegetation, and the aquatic environment. In most incidences, they are not the cause of sickness, but are very easy to culture and are therefore used as an indicator of other possible fecal pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, viruses or protozoa.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) are a subgroup of coliform bacteria that are almost exclusive to fecal matter, are easy to culture, and therefore are the most effective conformation of possible waterborne pathogenic contamination. Likely causes for this microorganism in a well water supply are surface water intrusion by a cracked well casing, having a shallow well system, being near a source of loose fecal matter (like a farm), a leaking septic system, or areas of Karst Geography (cave geography). Washington County Maryland and some of the surrounding areas contain Karst Geomorphology. Water in this natural rock structure of limestone deposits are subject to contamination because of acidic organic materials or rainwater (about 4.0-4.5 ph) that over many years bores holes, and allows runoff to easily find its way by gravity through the softer limestone and into the aquifer below. It is not uncommon for contamination after one large rainstorm. Needless to say, whatever contamination is on the surface of the ground can find its way into your water supply in a short period of time. Methods for killing E. coli include properly installed and maintained: ultraviolet (germicidal) lights, chlorination systems, ozone, distillation, reverse osmosis systems with the right pretreatment, and iodine systems.

Until Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) were discovered in 1982, it was thought that most stomach and duodenal ulcers were caused by hot spicy food, excess stomach acid, stress, or unhealthy lifestyles. Now it is widely understood that 80%-90% of people with chronic active and persistent stomach ulcers have an infection from this microorganism. If left untreated, infected persons have an increased chance of 2 to 6 fold of developing gastric cancer or mucosal-associated-lymphoid-type (MALT) lymphoma. Several tests have been developed to diagnose this infection, and treatment with common antibiotics like amoxicillin and tetracycline are used to eradicate this organism. Since the discovery of H. pylori, well water systems around the country have tested positive for this bacteria. It is also possible to get this infection from fecal to oral and oral to oral routes. Water testing for this is available – but it is quite expensive. Ultraviolet light disinfection and chlorination are among recommended treatment methods.

If you have ever gone to Mexico and heard people say “whatever you do, don’t drink the water-you’ll get Montezuma’s Revenge!”, these bacteria Campylobacter jejuni (stained red) and Shigella (stained green) are the microscopic problem you are trying to avoid. Unlike some other bacteria to which American’s have some resistance, these are almost never found in our water supply. Subsequently, vacationers can ingest these bugs and ruin their stay – but other than a bad upset stomach for a few days – it’s rarely more than that. We have included this because of the many questions we have received about a cause, now you know!

Legionnaires Disease, and the less severe form called Pontiac Fever, was discovered in 1976, when many people who attended an American Legion convention in Philadelphia suffered from a pneumonia type lung infection. It was determined the bacteria was found in the condensate of the building’s large air conditioning system. It can also be found in hot tubs, water heaters, cooling towers and large plumbing systems. Apparently, it does not grow in car or home window A.C. units. Well systems have tested positive for this organism, but it is rare. Legionellosis is usually contracted by breathing the aerosols (mist or vapor) of steam from a shower or of a humidifier. People over age 65 are most at risk, and incidences in this country are on the rise. Treatment methods include super chlorination of the water supply to eradicate the organism, then treating the incoming water with a heavy duty ultraviolet light or chlorine injection system to prevent the bacteria from entering the water supply.

These parasites Giardia Lamblia (blue-green round) and Cryptosporidium (brown with spikes) are as mean and nasty as they look. Both are very common in the natural environment, are found in every region of the United States, and can be extremely contagious. They live in the intestines of infected humans or animals, water from swimming pools, hot tubs, jacuzzis, fountains, lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, and springs that are contaminated with fecal matter. Fever, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, are some of the symptoms of an infection. Some people show little or no symptoms. These cysts are considered by the Center for Disease Control to be one of the most common causes of waterborne disease in the United States. In other words, theses bugs are nothing to play with, and if you feel you are infected, get medical attention as quickly as possible. Although boiling water for at least one minute will kill these microorganisms, they are highly resistant to disinfection methods like chlorination, ultraviolet light, but can be removed by a filtration system with special filters that have a rating of (< 1) less than one micron.

Hepatitis E and Rotavirus are not common problems in the water supply in the United States, but are worth mentioning because of the prevalence in some other countries for those of you that travel. You are more likely to get one of these viruses from food, but infections from contaminated water have been reported in the United States. Drinking water contaminated by sewage is the usual suspect, but people who eat raw or uncooked shellfish contaminated by sewage are also at risk. Well water systems that have reported testing positive for these viruses have linked them to malfunctioning septic systems, or wells too close to a septic drain field. Ultraviolet lights, chlorination systems, ozone, and iodine systems are a solution to this rare (but possible) problem.