Cryptosporidium

[Ian]

Cryptosporidium (also called Crypto) is a nasty parasite which may infect humans who drink contaminated water. An infection results in most unpleasant diarrhoea in healthy people and may be really serious to fatal in those who have clinically damaged immune systems.

The bad news.
Crypto can live as a cyst (correctly, an Oocyst) in mud and debris for many years in, as it were, suspended animation, resisting heat and chemicals such as chlorine. It is sensitive to heat, so boiling works. Whilst it is in the mud, it is not a problem.

The problem comes when the mud is stirred up and the cysts enter the water supply. This happens when the reservoirs are low and their bed is disturbed by the higher than normal water flows. Normal water treatment by the utilities does not normally remove all of the cysts as it is not a 'normal' problem and adds to the cost considerably.

This might be happening in the next couple of months in some parts of the country due to the lack of rainfall and the consequent low water levels in rivers and reservoirs.

The good news.
The cysts are easily destroyed by bringing the water to the boil for about a minute before consumption. Ultraviolet light also works well to kill the parasite, not so well for the cyst. Both methods are, of course, costly.

Filtration to a higher level than the water utilities will also remove the cysts, the finer the filter, the more removed. Filtering to less than a micrometre (also called a micron) should remove all cysts. As an expedient measure, a slow sand filter might remove 99%. Reverse osmosis will remove 100%.

Water utilities are improving their service all the time but this is one area in which they may easily be caught out as it was a very low risk (but is unfortunately increasing with the drier summers). I am sure that in the future more attention will be directed to this problem but today there is not the money nor the will.

We have an under-sink candle filter made by Doulton (the HIP model using the standard Sterasyl filter (the water here tastes OK). I chose it because it was on offer from a business closing down, thus very cheap). It has the advantage that it is easily demountable, it is on a keyhole bracket, with push fit connections and can be easily integrated into a gravity emergency supply from our barrel storage if necessary to 'polish' the potable water.

But there are many other types on the market, under-sink, gravity, cheaper, more expensive, filter out more, filter out less, the choice is yours.

Filter to better than one micrometre and you are free and clear.

[Carrot Cruncher]

Exellent post Ian.

Thats something I wasn't aware of (the lower water levels in reservoirs causing issues with Cryptosporidium). I have a British Berkefeld gravity filter for emergency use but it might be worth getting an inline system up and running

[Ian]

Your 'Berky' uses the same filters that I have in the under-sink. If you want an in line system just buy the housing and use your filters in it.

Why not just use your 'Berky' to supply all your potable water for a couple of months and practice using it to get the family into the routine and mind set, tea - Berky, clean teeth - Berky, wash up - Berky, top up Berky when you use it, and so on. If it goes in your mouth - Berky. It is a difficult regime to follow until people get in the groove. I bet you learn something by having a real trial run which, if it goes wrong won't kill anybody. Just use one filter and block the other holes, I bet that will give the daily flow needed and save the other filters for future use.

[Carrot Cruncher]

A good idea Ian but not really practical in the CC household at the moment. MrsCC tolerates my prepping and sometimes gets actively involved but that would be going a bit too far for her at the moment. She is getting more involved all the time and suprises me now and then with a comment about prepping for certain things.... but it is slow progress.

I might suggest to her trying it for a weekend or just for a day, that might be easier

[diamond lil]

This just apply to times and places with low water levels Ian ?

[Ian]

Lil, The risk is there all the time but is normally low. The utilities are very aware of the problem of Crypto and it is well monitored and if levels rise the message goes out to 'Boil your water'. The levels of the bug are low enough normally that people can shrug off an infestation, the body's immune system does the job. If you are immunocompromised, e.g you have AIDS/HIV, you would probably have already been told by your doctor to always boil your water or use bottled water.

The problem comes if you drink a lot of the little beasties, then they gang up and overcome your immune system and you start a few days love affair with your WC.

If there is a surge in numbers in your supply your utility will know and control the supply by dilution, shutting off the contaminated supply or by increasing treatment in some way and warn their public. The problem is the gap between the increase and you receiving the warning. When rivers are low the utilities start to tap other supplies which may be a bit iffy and have not been used for a while e.g. a low volume borehole and the normal supplies start to stir up the mud. I am positive that the utilities are doing their absolute best but it all begins to fray around the edges when water supplies are extremely low and so in consequence the risk goes up.

Taking low cost measures to lessen this risk during those difficult times is, in my opinion, worth it. But I would not spend a lot of money or time on it. Crypto infection is not nice but it should not kill you unless you already have another problem and if so you will probably be guarding against infection anyway.

If you are considering having a water filtration system anyway this might bring the date forward but I would not rush out and buy a Berky just for this. But I would look at all my emergency water supply ideas and plans though and see if this risk is included. Much better to use filtered mains water even if contaminated than rely on the barrels or swimming pool that has to be filtered anyway.

[diamond lil]

Ok. Might tell my daughter (who won't listen!) about this as she has a private water supply that tends to falter in dry weather.

[Ian]

CC, Many people (all non-preppers) have in-line or under-sink filters to improve the taste or just to 'polish' the water to make it more palatable. I am sure if you ask your friends a number have them already. May you not use this fact to make your argument. Keep up with the Jones'.

One of these:

http://nextday.diy.com/app/jsp/product/ ... ctId=14306

Is easily upgradable later with one of these:

http://nextday.diy.com/app/jsp/product/ ... ctId=59851

Just plugs in. There are plenty of different types around which will do the job.

If half the water you drink is filtered adequately you have halved the (already small) risk. If you can drink only 100% filtered water you may eliminate this particular risk but any trimming of the risk is good.

[Setfree]

My daughter contracted Crypto when she was one year old, poor thing was severely ill in hospital for 9 days on a drip, never seen someone vomit sooo much, felt awful for her, the hospital reported it to the health authprities and a water man visited us, really have zero idea how she got it - on only thing I did different to the usual routine ( I always boiled her water at that age) was let her have a sip fn my bottled water, makes me wonder if thats where she contracted it from proving bottled water isnt as 'pure' as its marketed....

[Bladerunner]

I had kidney stones a few years back and the pain was unbelievable.

After I had spent a few days in hospital I went back to the specialist and asked him what I could do to prevent this from happening again. He said drink a lot of water. I told him I did and it was all bottled.

He said that was the problem. Some bottled water can have as much as 50% calcium as milk and it was probably this extra calcium that caused the kidney stones.

I now have an undersink water filter which is used for all drinking and cooking water. We only use the normal tap for washing up.

I have tried the filtered water and normal water on our cats and they still prefer puddles in the backyard, ungrateful gits.

Be lucky (and hydrated)