Nitrates are substances that are commonly found in natural sources like water and soil, and also in waste materials such as animal manure, waste water and septic tank products. Nitrates are considered important substances that allow for better and faster growing of plants and crops. Given this very essential function of nitrates, they are frequently found as a component of most types of fertilizers. Consequently, traces of nitrates can be often be found in crops, fruits and vegetables that are grown in fertilized soils. Furthermore, nitrates can permeate the soil and enter groundwater systems, where they may pollute drinking water and cause negative health conditions. Read More..

Hepatitis A is the milder form of hepatitis, which causes inflammation of the liver.  The infection is caused by a virus, and is transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food and beverages.    The infection is common in places with poor sanitation, such as in developing countries.  Regions with the highest rates of hepatitis A include northern and southern Asia, Africa, southern and eastern Europe, and some parts of South America.  Read More..

Typhoid fever, or what the French used to call "boil of the intestine," is a preventable infectious disease of the digestive system that can be life-threatening if left untreated.  Occurrence of the disease is now rare in Europe, while in the UK there are typically around 350 cases reported every year. According to the Health Protection Agency (HPA), cases in the UK are often brought by travellers from any one of the following countries: India, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia, Spain, or Portugal.  Read More..

Did you know that drinking water does not only contain H20 and fluoride? Believe it or not, scientists are quite alarmed to find a number of contaminants in the water that we drink. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified seventeen inorganic chemicals, fifty-three organic chemicals, and a further seven chemicals used either directly in the water treatment and disinfection processes, or formed as a result. The latter are formed during water treatment processes, where chemicals used in water treatment react with naturally occurring substances found in water, forming additional chemicals.   Read More..

Last year in June, an outbreak of a mutant form of Escherichia coli (E. coli) infected thousands of consumers in eleven European countries, and in the United States, killing at least nineteen people, making it the one of largest and deadliest epidemics experienced in decades. The mutant strain was found to produce toxins that can cause seizures and kidney failure, and to carry genes that make it resistant to antibiotics. The suspected cause of the outbreak was contaminated produce from Germany.  Read More..

Water is a must for all living things. Without it, it would be impossible to survive. A huge number of cells make up the human body and each of these cells comprises 70% water. Water is not only important for our health and survival, but it is also an important part of our body fluids. It is solely responsible for transporting nutrients to the body cells. Additionally, it cleans the body by flushing out toxins. When we work out, we release the dirty water within our body in the form of sweat. By releasing sweat, our body becomes cool. In order for our body to stay hydrated, and in order for the toxins to be flushed out of our system, doctors and dieticians recommend that we drink at least eight  glasses of water a day. Read More..

Cholera outbreaks are common in areas where masses of displaced people congregate, and where basic infrastructure is non-existent, or has been destroyed by natural disasters or war. Only a few months after being hit by a huge earthquake that killed more than 300,000 people, the unsanitary conditions created by the aftermath of destruction in Haiti also brought on a cholera epidemic that killed at least 250 people.  The 2010 outbreak was inevitable after homeless Haitians resorted to using the water in the country’s largest river for their drinking, bathing, and laundry needs.  Read More..

This is a question we get asked a lot.  There's much media reporting on MRSA but generally the public are poorly informed about this subject. Here's some great background and interesting facts that will bring you up to speed. Read More..

ALBANY USA 27th Feb 2012 courtesy of wnyt.com
John Ferendzo of Guilderland is surprised the Best Western Sovereign Inn at 1228 Western Ave. in Albany is even open. He was checking in for a friend when he was hit with a Health Department notice that the hotel's water system had higher than normal levels of legionella bacteria. Read More..

In the UK, there are two different legislations for water supply regulations, one for water supplied by a statutory water company, and the other for private water supplies. Similar but slightly different legislations are drawn up for each region of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Private water supplies are usually sourced from natural sources such as springs, wells, brooks and rivers, and are usually untreated. In the UK, those with private water supplies comprise of about 1-2% of total drinking households. Read More..