Water safety poses issue for international vacations
April 3, 2008
By: Beverly Jenkins <bjenkins@hilite.org>
In the United States, citizens are able to drink from the tap or from a faucet without worrying about ingesting dangerous pollutants or harboring a parasite, but this is not the case in every country. According to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), roughly 50 percent of people in developing countries suffer from one or more water-related diseases.
In fact, many countries have water that is considered non-potable, water that is often disease ridden. With students leaving shortly to travel the country and globe over spring break, and many unknowing of water problems in other countries, it is important to know exactly what is in the glass of water or the pool at the hotel.
According to registered school nurse Carol Gelatt what makes people sick from drinking non-potable water are the “pathogens, which are disease producing microorganisms. Pathogens can be bateria, such as E.Coli, viruses like Hepatitus Am or parasites like giardia.”
Giardia is a fairly common parasite, according to Gelatt. In Russia, drinking water that hasn’t been purified or isnt from a bottled water company is almost unheard of because of the parasite. Gelatt said her husband even encountered the parasite when he was on a wilderness camping trip in Canada.
However, it is not only the disease causing microorganisms that contribute to the safety of the water but the care of the environment is a factor as well. The River Thames in England is a prime example of pollution that affects water safety. The River Thames flows through the heart of London, England, and is known for a variety of legends and geographical importance, but it is also well-known for having been heavily polluted for centuries, and even went without fish in the river for an extend period of time, according to www.the-river-thames.co.uk.
Junior Bryan Granato lived in England in from 2000 to 2002. “People kept dumping their trash in (River Thames), and when (London officials) tested the pH levels, the water was highly acidic,” Granato said. While people do not drink directly from the river, fish have been recently introduced back into the river after centuries of absence, and according to Granato, fishing in the River Thames is a common activity.
While U.S. citizens have healthy water on hand all day every day, many countries do not have that luxury and while it may be easy for U.S. citizens to overlook, it is extremely important to learn what to do to prevent water-bourne diseases, especially if the person is leaving the country, according to www.safewateronline.com.
While water can be dangerous if it is contaminated, neither Granato nor Gelatt said they advise abstaining from water; after all, water is a necessary part of human life, but there are safer options out there.
“Buy bottled water if you’re at all worried,” Granato said. Granato said his family drank only bottled water or water pumped from a safe well while in England. “…and you should definitely research where you’re going before you leave the country,” he said.
Over 200 brands of bottled water, some private and some public, belong to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) and even more belong to the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). To qualify for membership, the quality of the water meets certain standards. Bottled water with an IBWA label submit a certificate of inspection and agree to an annual, unnanounced inspection.
Brands with the NSF Certification labels mean that a credible, well known party has tested and verified that the bottled water meets complies with specific standards. To see what standards bottled water companies are expected to meet, visit http://www.bottledwater.org/ and http://www.nsf.org.
Bottled water with NSF or IBWA stickers as well as most well-known European bottled water brands are considered the safest bottled water compainies, according to http://www.bottledwater.org.
“Water is the best in warmer weather because you don’t want to become dehydrated, but if safe water isn’t available, drink something decaffinated,” Gelatt said. Gelatt said that drinking something decaffinated is better than a caffinated beverage because caffiene aids in dehydration, which is what water works to prevent.
Gelatt also said students should remember to be prepared for things that mightoften not be remembered, such as eating a salad, drinking a beverage that has ice in it or even swimming in a pool that is unsafe. “It’s important to make sure you don’t swallow any water from a swimming pool. [Students] should also shower before and after swimming in a public pool,” she said.
According to safewateronline.com, only pools and spas that contain filtrated and disinfectant water can be considered safe places to swim. The site also goes on to explain that poor maintanence of a pool or spa can lead to dangerous chlorine or bromine levels and clogged filters, which puts swimmers at a higher risk of acquiring a water-bourne disease or infection.
So whether a student is leaving the city, state, or country, taking a few extra moments to check the sanitation level of water is important. Whether checking for a NSF or IBWA label or the chemical levels in a pool, learning where the water in that bottle or salad or pool is coming from is a preventative step in developing a water-bourne disease, infection, or parasite.
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