Coronavirus In Your Ontario Tap Water? CDC Says Not Likely
With all the precautions being taken to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus thru social distancing, one concern could have been coronavirus in your tap water.
More than one hundred different species of viruses can spread through water that can lead to diseases in humans — including hepatitis, gastroenteritis, meningitis, fever, rash, and conjunctivitis. But viruses, along with bacteria, are high on the regulation hit list for any water treatment plan. This means most bacteria and viruses don’t have a chance to reach your tap.
Furthermore, the CDC posted a bulletin recently regarding the issue of coronavirus in water:
“The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water. Conventional water treatment methods that use filtration and disinfection, such as those in most municipal drinking water systems, should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.”
Based on this information, the CDC has determined that coronavirus has not been detected in tap water. Disinfection methods such as chlorine or UV treatment should remove the virus.
Water Treatment For Coronaviruses
It wouldn’t be unprecedented to have a water issue with coronavirus — albeit these problems are typically not related directly to drinking water. The last major coronavirus outbreak, SARS, was found to be living in contaminated raw sewage for 2 to 14 days.
But the CDC, WHO and EPA cite traditional water treatment methods as a way to get rid of any coronavirus concerns. This would include:
- Chlorination
- Chloramines
- UV Treatment
For more information on chlorination vs chloramines, read here.
Public water systems are required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to treat water to remove or kill pathogens like viruses. The coronavirus is “a type of virus that is particularly susceptible to disinfection and standard treatment and disinfectant processes are expected to be effective…American can continue to use and drink water from the tap as usual.
Unregulated Water Sources Such As Well Water
Other sources where treatment is done by private well owners are more susceptible to contamination. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a virus is lurking in your well. While well water can be a source for bacteria to reside if untreated, such as e. coli, there are few instances of anecdotal evidence supporting the presence of viruses in private well water.
“Generally, if a virus gets in a well, it’s an extreme situation, like flooding.” Said Culligan water treatment specialist Gary Falkengren, a water treatment specialist been with Culligan International for nearly three decades and has never run across well water that contains a virus.
However, Culligan recommends well owners test their water annually for all contamination sources
How Culligan Can Help
Culligan offers FREE water analysis — both in-person, via water sample pickup, and virtual consultations. For more information on how you can remove all contaminants from your water, call us today or visit our website.
