WATER CONTAMINANTS

Education and Awareness

ODAK Corporation is a strong supporter of environmental education and we feel privileged to make available this informational fact sheet as a means of environmental education and awareness. The mission statement of ODAK Corporation is to provide high quality product, service and support to its customers and distributors. In partial fulfillment of that obligation we are proud to provide you with The National Primary Drinking Water Standards as well as a Glossary of Water Quality Terms brought to you by Wilkes University Center for Environmental Quality, GeoEnvironmental Sciences and Engineering Department. We would be remiss in our statement if we did not encourage everybody using water supplied by wells to have their water tested periodically by a certified lab no matter how clear and good tasting their water may appear. If you have questions pertaining to water testing, please send an e-mail to lab@odak.com or call (888) 901-6325 toll free.

The presence of bacteria and pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms is a concern when considering the safety of your drinking water. Most people believe that their water comes from pure sources without any contamination or that the water has been treated. There are a number of contaminants that threaten the safety and quality of our nations drinking water.

On these pages you will find Special Report #1 concerning Giardia, Cryptosporidium and Water Borne Disease. The topic of this summary report is Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and waterborne disease. Giardia and Cryptosporidium are becoming the most widespread intestinal parasites, i.e., disease causing organisms, associated with waterborne disease. These organisms are not bacteria or viruses, but protozoans with complex life cycles. Outside of the host, the organisms are in an oocyst stage, which is much like a seed for a plant or microscopic egg. The size of the Giardia cyst is approximately 8 to 14 um; whereas, the Cryptosporidium oocysts are usually 4 to 6 microns (1 micron = 0.001 mm = 0.00004 inches ), which is too small to see with the naked eye. These organisms are responsible for over 100,000 causes of reported outbreaks of waterborne diseases since 1979. These are not new organisms and in fact Van Leeuwenhoek first describe Giardia cysts in 1681, but these organisms have not been identified as disease causing agents until the last two decades.

Special Report #2 concerns Nitrates. There are a number of contaminants that threaten the safety and quality of our nations drinking water, but none seem so benign as nitrates. Nitrates are a form of nitrogen. Nitrogen is need by every living plant and animal and can be found in the soil, air we breath, rain and the water we drink. Nitrogen is usually present in the form of ammonia (NH3),nitrite (NO2), and nitrate (NO3), so how could this essential element be a concern.

Like nitrate, it is difficult to understand why lead in drinking water is a potential health hazard or even a concern. In Special Report #3 you will read about Lead. Most people believe that their water comes from pure sources without any contamination or that the water has been treated, so there is not a problem. This is not the cause for lead. The primary source for lead in most drinking water sources is the piping used within a distribution system or the household plumbing. Other routes of lead exposure include: lead paint used in homes prior to 1978, dust or soil containing lead, food grown in contaminated soil or stored in poorly glazed pottery, and more.

Most people believe that their water comes from pure sources without any contamination or that the water has been treated. The presence of bacteria and pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms is a concern when considering the safety of drinking water. Pathogenic organisms can cause intestinal infections, dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid fever, cholera, and other illnesses. You will read all about Bacteria in Special Report #4.

In Special Report #5 you will read about how color in water can be caused by a number of contaminants such as iron which changes in the presence of oxygen to yellow or red sediment. Color from iron is referred to as "apparent color" rather than "true color". True color is distinguished from apparent color by filtering the sample.

Cryptosporidium is a protozoan which causes the parasitic infection, cryptosporidiosis. It exists in either the free-swimming (trophozoite) form or the cyst (dormant) form. Cryptosporidium Parvum is now recognized as a human pathogen which can cause severe diarrhea and illness. Read about Cryptosporidium Parvum in Special Report #6.

Home | Corporate Overview | Filter Comparisons | Water Contaminants | Frequently Asked Questions
Performance Data Sheet | Emergency Response | Product Showroom | Kentrel Corporation | Contact ODAK

Web Design by
Harry Finn