Water from a private well can be threatened by numerous contaminants, either naturally or due to human activities. Many contaminants can have detrimental health effects. While the Safe Drinking Water Act ensures the safety of public water supply systems, the responsibility for ensuring the quality and safety of private well water falls on the owner.
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There are many ways for drugs and personal care products to enter ground water and surface water, which include water that we drink and use for recreation. Federal guidelines for safe disposal of medicines aim to prevent unintentional poisonings, misuse and diversion of discarded drugs, and to keep drugs within engineered landfills, instead of in the water supply.
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E. coli is a normal gut bacterium, but there are several types that cause food poisoning. Sources include contaminated water, raw or undercooked ground meat, unpasteurized milk, raw vegetables, fecal-oral transmission, and food handlers. Most types of E. coli cause diarrhea (watery or bloody). Vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, and kidney failure are also possible symptoms. The best treatment is hydration.
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There are many possible causes of contaminated water including physical, chemical, biological, and radiological agents. While the most common are contaminants that cause gastrointestinal toxicity, damage to other body systems can occur. The most vulnerable groups include infants and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people who are immunocompromised.
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Nitrates and nitrites are abundant in the environment and are found in medicines and products in the home. Overexposure to nitrates and nitrites can lead to a condition called methemoglobinemia in which the body is deprived of oxygen, causing a blue-gray discoloration of the skin.
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Portable water purification chemicals are available in tablet, liquid, and powder form and contain the disinfectants iodine or chlorine. They can be added to untreated water to kill harmful microorganisms and make the water safer to drink. Although generally safe, they can easily be mistaken for medications or candy.
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Organic arsenic is less toxic than inorganic arsenic. Inorganic arsenic contaminates groundwater. Vomiting, neurological, and cardiac toxicity, anemia and rashes occur with acute toxicity. Chronic toxicity is associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, anemia, decreased white cells, peripheral neuropathy, liver damage, and vascular insufficiency. Arsenic is a human carcinogen.
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