How Drinking Water Gets Contaminated with Bacteria
It’s important to know where your tap water comes from if you want to keep it safe!
Dangerous germs are usually spread through animal and human feces.
- Leaky septic systems
- Sewer overflows
- Fertilizers
- Storm water
- Wildlife
- Large industrial animal farms
- Barn runoff
- Cracks in distribution pipes
Public water is federally regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and they set maximum contaminant limits for germs and chemicals in tap water.
However, sometimes unsafe levels of bacteria can suddenly spike in source water (lakes, rivers, groundwater).
If water utilities don’t adjust their disinfection process quickly enough, bacteria can reach your tap.
Private well owners, on the other hand, face challenges of their own…
The groundwater in rural areas is more exposed to the types of contaminants that carry bacteria, and because there’s no treatment plant to disinfect it, the contaminants can end up in your well.
How to Detect Bacteria In Drinking Water
If they find unsafe levels of germs, they’re required to notify the public.
However, if you get your water from a private well, you have to test it yourself.
In that case, the first step is to test for total coliform bacteria.
Luckily, this test is inexpensive (less than $15) and is easy to perform.
Coliform bacteria is a group of harmless bacteria that does not cause disease.
However, their presence is usually a sign that other, nastier types of bacteria are present.
Water that tests positive for total coliform should be sent to a certified testing lab to test for other bacteria, like fecal coliforms and fecal streptococci.
The ratio of fecal coliforms to fecal streptococci tells you whether the contamination is from animal or human waste.
Iron bacteria is a fourth type of bacteria that may indicate dangerous contamination.
This naturally occurring bacteria does not cause disease, but it does form a reddish-brown slime that can coat the inside of pipes and turn water brown.
How to Collect a Water Sample for Testing
Ready to collect a water sample and send it off to a certified lab?
Proper collection is important to ensure accurate results.
After you contact the laboratory, they’ll mail you a collection kit with sterile containers.
Here’s how to properly collect a sterile water sample:
- Collect the sample from an indoor faucet with the aerator removed
- Sterilize the end of the faucet by flaming the end of it with a butane lighter for several seconds
- Run the water for two minutes to clear the pipes of stagnant water
- Carefully open the cap and fill the container to the fill line
- Refrigerate the sample and send it to the laboratory within 36 hours
Most state-certified labs, including the Health Department, are closed for the weekend and do not accept samples on Fridays or before holidays.
How to Maintain and Protect Your Private Well from Bacteria
If you have a private well, testing your water for contaminants is just the first step.
You also need to maintain and test it for mechanical problems, structural problems, and overall cleanliness at least once a year.
Also, inspect it after flooding and other natural disasters, or recent construction projects that may have distrubed the groundwater.
In general, deeper wells are safer because they’re further removed from contaminants on the surface.
Wells that were dug or bored, or were covered by floodwater for at least several days, are more at risk.
Here’s a few tips to properly maintain and protect your well:
- The well casing extends above the surface of the ground
- The ground should slope away from the well to prevent water from pooling around the casing
- After working on any part of the plumbing or pump, disinfect the entire system with chlorine
Even something like setting the pump on the grass to work on it can be enough to contaminate the well with bacteria.
How to Clean and Disinfect Your Well
The process to sanitize it is called shock chlorination.
Chlorine is a chemical disinfectant that kills bacteria and other microorganisms.
Unlike the smaller amounts of chlorine used in water treatment plants, shock chlorination uses a much bigger dose.
Chlorine concentrations for shock treatment range from 50 to 200 milligrams per liter — that’s 100 to 400 times more than the amount used in city water!
The exact amount of chlorine used depends on the amount of water in the well.
The chlorine stays in the well and household pipes for 12 to 24 hours before it’s flushed out and is good to use again.
We recommend having a professional handle the process, but here’s a few tips in case you want to do it on your own…
The shock chlorination process, in a nutshell:
- Add the correct amount of chlorine to a small bucket of water and pour it directly in the well
- Spray the inside walls of the well down with a hose
- Turn on each faucet one by one and let the water run until you can smell chlorine
- Flush all toilets
- Let the chlorinated water stand for 12 to 24 hours
- Flush the system of the until the water looks clear and you can no longer smell any chlorine
You should also disinfect water treatment equipment, like filters, water softeners, and pressure tanks.
Make sure to check the manufacturer’s guidelines before treating equipment to avoid using too much chlorine.
On that note, you should also wear rubber gloves and goggles to protect yourself when handling chlorine.
Other Ways to Kill Bacteria In Water
Chlorine isn’t the only way to kill dangerous waterborne bacteria.
Here are some other ways to show those germs who’s boss:
Iodine has been used to disinfect water since the early 1900s.
Although it does kill bacteria, it’s much slower acting than chlorine and is not effective at killing algae.
This is why water utilities use chlorine instead.
Also, iodine doesn’t give water a taste or odor, it’s harder to tell when the system is fully flushed.
With that said, iodine is easy to remove with a simple carbon filter right before drinking.
Plus, you can always measure iodine levels with a simple color strip test kit.
Another advantage of iodine is that it works over a wide range of pH and maintains effectiveness up to a pH of 10.
Ultraviolet treatment systems use UV spectrum light to kill bacteria.
It works by damaging the DNA of bacterial cells so they cannot reproduce.
UV treatment systems also kill viruses and some cysts, but they do not kill giardia cysts.
Overall, installing a whole-house UV system can be a great step to protect all the pipes and faucets in your home from bacteria.
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems not only kill bacteria, but they also remove up to 99.9% of all viruses, cysts, parasites and even hard-to-remove contaminants like arsenic.
They work by combining several stages of filtration, including:
- Sediment filters to remove dirt, rust, and debris
- Activated carbon filters to remove chlorine, bacteria and most other pathogens
- Ion exchange resins to remove “hard” minerals, like magnesium and calcium
- RO membranes to remove the most difficult pollutants, like lead, arsenic, nuclear waste, and and remaining bacteria
- Polishing filters to remove any last bit of lingering contaminants
- Remineralization stage to add healthy minerals back into the water
If you don’t have access to fancy filters, you can always go old school and boil small batches of water before drinking it.
Any heat source, whether it’s a stovetop or a fire, can be used to boil water.
Heck, even microwave ovens can heat water to a boil.
Bring water to a rolling boil for one to three minutes and that should be enough to kill most bacteria.
If you’re at an elevation above 6,500 feet, you’ll need to boil for the maximum three minutes.
Flushing and Cleaning Your Water System and Water Devices
Don’t wait until it’s too late!
Stay ahead of the game and flush your faucets and showerheads, especially if you haven’t used them in a week or more.
Let the cold water run for at least two minutes, then switch it to hot and do the same.
You should also clean and disinfect any devices that use water, including portable humidifiers, neti pots, water heaters, showerheads and faucet aerators.
Here’s how to clean your water devices the right way:
1. Showerheads and Faucet Aerators
Faucet aerators are the mesh screens on the inside of your faucet that help water flow.
Over time, biofilm gunk can build up and contaminate the water as it exits your tap.
Biofilm can accumulate on the inside of showerheads too.
In order to clean them, you’ll have to remove them, hose them down, and soak them in a vinegar solution to remove the buildup.
Water heaters can grow bacteria, especially if they aren’t set to a high enough temperature.
A hotter temperature of 130–140°F can kill most germs, but this also increases the risk of burning yourself when you use the water.
For this reason, most water heaters are set to 120°F or less.
At this temperature, bacteria is more likely to grow.
Fortunately, flushing your water heater can help prevent bacterial growth and extend the life of your water heater.
Most manufacturers recommend flushing your water heater before you move into a new home, after plumbing work, or at least once a year.
You should also flush it if you notice the water is discolored.
Net pots are nasal rinse devices used to clear nasal congestion.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and only use distilled water to clean them.
Unless you empty your humidifier on a regular basis, bacteria can spread to your lungs through the mist they create.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfecting, and always use distilled or recently boiled water.
Give the parts plenty of time to dry before reassembling them.
Out of all the water devices that need regular maintenance, water filters are the most important.
It’s their job to remove all the bacteria and other contaminants that keep your family safe.
At the same time, it means they’re the most likely to get gunked up with biofilm and other nasty stuff.
Bacteria that live in biofilm can thrive in these devices if they aren’t properly maintained.
Common types of water filters include:
- Pitcher filters
- Faucet and showerhead filters
- Undersink filters
- Whole-house systems
The Easiest Way to Keep Your Family’s Tap Water Safe from Dangerous Waterborne Bacteria
To keep your tap water safe from bacteria…
- Disinfect your water system and water devices at least once a year
- Flush your pipes after not using them for a week or more
- Install a high-quality filtration system in your home
If you want to go above and beyond, you can also install a whole-house ultraviolet system to protect every pipe and appliance from bacteria.
However, if all you want is bacteria-free water to drink, then an under-sink reverse osmosis (RO) system is all you need.
Cloud Water Filters use reverse osmosis membranes, carbon filters, sediments filters, and ion exchange resins to remove up to 99.9% of all harmful contaminants, including hard-to-remove ones like arsenic and nuclear waste.
They even use built-in software to monitor your water quality 24/7!
