It’s easy for anybody to think that they are safe drinking regulated drinking water regardless of any strange qualities it may have. For example, one could easily continue consuming water with a strong odour, a strange color, or even an unfamiliar taste if they are hesitant to contact their drinking water supplier. This is a good way for dangerous bacteria to find its way inside of you, such as E. Coli, a faecal bacteria that can cause abdominal cramping, flatulence, loss of appetite, vomiting or extreme fatigue.

It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of regulated drinking water. There are too many risks in poorly regulated water, such as exposure to a variety of harmful bacteria, diseases, and algae blooms. If you suspect water contamination, you should immediately contact your drinking water supplier (either your water service provider or, in most regional areas, your local council) and inform them of the issue.

Ensuring Your Water is Safe to Drink

To make sure that your drinking water is safe, you should first confirm that it abides by a variety of basic standards. These standards fall mostly into two categories known as ‘health-related guideline values’ and ‘aesthetic guideline values’.

Health-related guideline values are based on present knowledge and do not pose a threat to the health of those consuming the water over a long period of consumption. Aesthetic guideline values are representative of how acceptable the water is to those consuming it (for example; colour, taste, or smell).

For more information on these standards, refer to the Australian drinking water guidelines.

Reasons for compromised aesthetic guideline values are varied and change depending on what issues you are currently noticing in your water. For example, discoloured water is often due to naturally occurring minerals, corrosion of pipes, or plumbing issues. In most cases, discoloured water does not result in any large risk, but if you have concerns it is still wise to contact your water service provider and report any issues you may have with your water.

On the other hand, issues with taste and smell, other aesthetic guideline values, can be results of entirely different matters. Organic matter may be giving your water an earthy taste or odour, a problem that can quickly be solved by thoroughly cleaning your taps. A detectable level of chlorine may also be present in your water, though this is added to kill harmful germs that may inhabit the water. Absolute Plumbing and Gas Solutions in Noosa said that the most common issue related to water contamination in his service area is corroded pipes. This can lead to heavy metals entering your water source which is a real health risk.

“Lead and other metals have an even more significant effect on children and need to be monitored.”

The Risks of Unsafe Drinking Water

There are a plethora of nasty little creatures that can get into your water supply if it isn’t properly filtered. Below are some of the more prominent bacteria and viruses you might find in your water, and symptoms so you can identify whether or not you’ve fallen prey to any of them.

Giardia is a microscopic parasite often found in cattle, sheep, birds, fish and on occasion, humans. Ingesting these parasites can cause gastrointestinal illnesses. Often times they are spread through contact with animals or humans already infected with the parasites, or consumption of infected food or drink, such as poorly filtered water.

Harmful algae blooms may be present in your water, which present dangerous levels of toxins and the potential for a host of unpleasant symptoms such as; skin rashes, swollen lips, eye irritation, sore throat, asthma, and even a possible promotion of skin tumours. The risk of complications increases as your contact with these substances extend, and thus this should be very closely monitored.

Salmonella is a bacteria that is often found in raw or contaminated foods, but it can also be found in contaminated drinking water. This gnarly bacteria can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, headache, vomiting and chills.

Cryptosporidiosis is a microorganism that resides in the bowels and can often be found in the faeces of humans and animals (primarily cows and sheep) that have been infected. The most common symptom of this disease is diarrhea, which is generally watery and great in quantity. This comes along with cramping abdominal pain, nausea, fever, and loss of appetite. However, some people infected with this disease don’t develop any of the symptoms, and are only a risk to others who may become infected by them.

More information on all of these diseases and bacterias and their relationship with contaminated water can be found on the Queensland Government Health website.

Monitoring Drinking Water Quality

Your drinking water service provider is required to closely monitor the quality of your drinking water. This monitor should occur on location at the treatment plant, followed by a series of sample sites across the water delivery network. The bigger the water service provider, the more often they are obligated to monitor their water supply so as to ensure that none of the gnarly bacteria or diseases listed above make their way into the drinking water of the public.

Is Water Regulation Obsolete?

If this was a question you had about water regulation at the beginning of this article, hopefully, it had been answered clearly and concisely. Water regulation is not only important but integral to a functioning society. If drinking water isn’t properly coagulated, filtered and regulated, there could be severe and incredibly dangerous side effects for up to tens of thousands of people depending on the size of the water service provider.

Never be afraid to contact your water service provider if you believe there may be an issue with your water. Maybe all you’ll find is a little peace of mind in being assured that your water is safe, but if worst comes to worst, that call may be the only thing that separates your body and the harrowing diseases that could be living in your water supply.