WATER
There is a dramatic rise in public concern over the Walkerton water issue. This has put a genuine concern on all drinking water. The Province’s coroner states as of June 21st, 2000 that 18 deaths may be linked to E-coli outbreak in Walkerton. Seven people are confirmed to have died from drinking the E-coli contaminated tap water in Walkerton and up to 2000 people suffered diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps. Eleven additional deaths are being probed.
Privatizing our drinking water supply is scary. Just look at the aftermath of the deadly bacterial outbreak in Walkerton’s water supply. Ontarians are all to aware of what can go wrong when private interests take over responsibilities assumed by public bodies. As long as Walkerton’s drinking water was tested by the Ontario Ministry of Environment there were no serious problems after a private lab took over the testing a mis-communication meant that a dangerous outbreak of E-coli bacteria went unreported to medical officials, government agencies and the public.
Perhaps we should ask what the long term rational behind privatizing water would be?
WATER TREATMENT FOR YOUR HEALTH
For occasional or short term disinfection, there are several simple methods that do not require special devices:
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Boiling water for one minute will kill most common pathogens, but boiling for at least eight minutes will ensure complete disinfection.
Household bleach, which contains four to five percent sodium hypo chlorite, will disinfect water when at least five drops are added to four liters of water and left to stand for 30 minutes.
Water purification tablets that release chlorine or iodine are especially useful for travelers when used according to manufacturers’ directions.
When water must be continuously disinfected because of the unacceptable quality of the supply or the possibility of sporadic contamination, a water treatment devise may be more practical than short term disinfection methods. |
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When camping or hiking, it should be assumed that all waters are microbiologically contaminated, and the drinking water should be treated accordingly. Care must also be taken to avoid ingestion of untreated water during other activities (for instance when brushing your teeth.
Wells should be analyzed routinely for microbiological contamination. According to the Guidelines and for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, no sample should contain more than 10 total coliform bacteria per 100ml of sample, and none should be fecal chloroforms. If well water does not comply with this guideline, it should be disinfected.
Ultimately, the best approach to ensure complete purification of water intended for human use and consumption is a multi-barrier system, consisting of source protection, filtration and disinfection. |
