Water Quality

Do you ever think about how clean the water you are drinking is? Most of the time we just assume the water we receive is clean enough to drink simply because it is coming out of our faucets. This is why the quality of the water must be checked. According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s website, Water Quality is the measure of the suitability of water for a particular use based on selected physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Bacterias and harmful substances can often find their way into the water making it unsuitable to drink. Some of the most common problems Ohio has with water are the following: Coliform bacteria, Turbidity, Radon, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and Harmful Algal Bloom Cyanotoxins.

1. Coliform bacteria can be found in the environment and in the feces of all warm-blooded animals and humans. There is a total of 16 different Coliform bacteria that can be found in plants, soil, and waste. E. Coli is a subgroup of fecal Coliform bacteria. Most E. Coli is harmless, however some strains can make you sick. If Coliform bacteria is found in water, it is investigated immediately. This bacteria is commonly found in well water because of sewage and manure. This can be prevented by making sure your water is properly filtered. The public health goal of amounts of E. Coli and other forms of fecal Coliform is none. 
   The Maximum Contaminate Level: 0
   
   
   
   
   
2. Turbidity is the measure of cloudiness of the water. Cloudiness can be caused by harmless substances such as organic matter, or can be caused by disease-causing organisms like parasites and viruses. Therefore, it is smart to keep Turbidity levels low to be safe. The EPA has set the water Turbidity standard at 1 NTU (nephelolometric turbidity unit). Also, public waters must not exceed 0.3 NTU.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. Radon is odorless and invisible in water. There is also a goal to have absolutely no Radium in drinking water since it can increase chances of developing cancer.
   Maximum Contaminate Level: 5 pCi/L
4. Cryptosporidium is a primary diarrheal pathogenic microorganism that can bring disease to previously healthy people. It is caused by a parasite that can live in the intestines in humans and animals. You can get rid of the cryptosporidium by boiling your water. The EPA requires that there be 0mg/L in drinking water.
5. Giardia is also a diarrheal illness caused by a parasite. It is one of the most common causes of waterborne diseases in humans in the United States. Millions of Giardia parasites can be passed by just one infected human or animal. The water can be contaminated by sewage overflows, polluted storm water runoffs, and flooding. The contaminated water can be cleaned by boiling and then refrigerating it. It can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and cramps. Once again, the standard amount of Giardia in water is zero.
6. Harmful Algal Bloom Cyanotoxins can be naturally found in Ohio lakes. It is often called blue-green algae. It occurs in shallow bodies of warm water. You should not drink this water.

Lead Poisoning

Lead is a toxic metal and can be very poisonous. Many old houses and toys contain lead-based paint and when a person is exposed to the paint for a long period of time, they can get lead poisoning. Young children are most vulnerable to this poisoning and the damage is irreversible. Many children are exposed to lead when they touch an object containing lead, and then put their fingers into their mouth. Lead is primarily harmful to children because their bodies are still developing. Getting lead poisoning from one single contact with lead is very uncommon, they poisoning develops over time. After a person has experienced extended exposure, symptoms will begin to emerge. Just some symptoms of lead poisoning include: abdominal pain, aggressive behavior, constipation, sleep problems, headaches, memory loss, kidney dysfunction, and anemia. Furthermore, in a child, the damage can become much worse. Lead can lead to a variety of intellectual disabilities. For example: behavioral problems, low IQs, poor academic grades, hearing problems, learning difficulties, and growth delays. Extreme cases can even result in seizures and comas.

Lead must be ingested in order to lead to lead poisoning, you cannot be poisoned by simply touching lead. However, inhaling dust that contains lead can be poisonous. Lead is dangerous because you cannot smell nor taste it. Lead used to be very common in the United States, until people discovered how harmful it could be. Although products containing lead are no longer produced, they can still be found all over the country, most commonly lead-based paint in old houses made before 1978. Other common sources of lead poisoning include: toys and household items painted before 1976 or painted outside of the United States, bullets, pipes and sink faucets, polluted soil, art supplies, jewelry, pottery, and lead figures. Pipes and sink faucets are a big red flag because they can contaminate drinking water.

Although all humans are at risk to lead poisoning, children are at the highest risk. This is because young children are more likely to put objects into their mouth without knowing what it is. This is alarming because children are also the ones most damaged if they are exposed to lead. To be diagnosed with lead poisoning, a blood test must be performed. If one is in fact diagnosed with lead poisoning, they must immediately be treated. The first step is removing the source of lead that has caused the problem. If symptoms are severe, hospitals will perform a procedure called chelation therapy. Chelation therapy is a chemical process where a synthetic solution is injected into contaminated blood to remove harmful metals from the body.

The United States recognizes the danger of lead, however, it is still an issue in every state. In 2014, 153,010 children under the age of six were tested for lead poisoning in Ohio. The majority of these cases were very small amount of micrograms per deciliter. For example, 5 μg/dL is when the contamination is considered a threat. Out of the 153,010 children tested in 2014, 145,859 children had less than 5 μg/dL. 3,298 children’s blood in Ohio contained 5-9 μg/dL. Furthermore, only 1,298 children tested greater than or equal to 10μg/dL. 3 percent of the total tested population had results of dangerous exposure. In Cuyahoga County, where I am from, 2,406 children had blood lead levels of 5-9μg/dL in 2012. 3.21 percent of the children tested in Cuyahoga County had elevated blood lead levels. Lead poisoning can be prevented once people begin to educate themselves on what objects are hazardous. Parents should throw out toys that were painted in foreign countries. Everyone should be sure to wash their hands before eating to prevent contaminating their food. Faucets are aerators should be cleaned regularly to ensure that the air is clean.

The Zika Virus

Zika is a disease that is caused mostly by the bite of a specific mosquito. The Aedes species mosquito can become infected and spread the disease to humans. Within the past year, reports of Zika have been reported most commonly in Central and South America. Reports have also been documented in East Africa, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia. Recently, the CDC has reported two areas within the United States that have seen cases of Zika infection. These two area in the United States are South Florida and Brownsville Texas. The CDC suggests that everyone living in or traveling to these countries and areas should seek guidance of prevention.

The transmission of Zika is primarily through a bug bite from the Aedes species mosquito. This is this is the same species of mosquito that can transmit the dengue and chikungunya viruses.These mosquitos lay eggs in standing water and typically bite during the day time. These mosquitoes become infected when they bite someone who is already infected; after a mosquito is infected, it can then spread the virus from person to person. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention’s website, Zika can also be transmitted through sex. Since the first large outbreak of Zika was in 2007, only ten years ago, many studies about the transmission of Zika are still underway.

The Zika virus can also be transmitted in a pregnant woman to her fetus. Being infected with Zika during pregnancy may cause a birth defect called Microcephaly. Mircrocephaly is when a baby’s head is smaller than it should be. This causes their brain to be smaller than expected and not develop properly. Along with Microcephaly, babies infected with Zika can develop Congenital Zika Syndrome. The syndrome is defined by five main features: severe microcephaly, brain damage, damage to the back of the eye, joints with limited motion, and restricted body movement. 

Once a person is infected with Zika, they may experience many symptoms of the virus, or no symptoms at all. The most common symptoms of Zika are: fevers, rashes, joint pain, conjunctivitis, headaches, and muscle pain. Symptoms only last for about a week. Most symptoms are so mild that many people do not know they were even infected. It is very rare for anyone to die of Zika.

The most important prevention tactic to avoid getting Zika is to avoid mosquito bites altogether. This involves using insect repellent, wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors, and controlling the mosquitoes surrounding your home. It is also important to educate yourself on where Zika outbreaks are occurring. If you plan to travel to any of these places, you will have to be aware of the threat. Lastly, it is helpful to protect yourself while having sex because Zika can be sexually transmitted. If you do all you can to prevent the virus, and still happen to contract Zika, you must consider others around you and protect them from it. There is no direct medicine or vaccine for Zika. If you are infected with Zika, all you can do is treat the symptoms and drink fluids.