In a hurricane or other natural disaster, the primary concern isn’t only the disaster itself. It’s flood cleanup, health risks, and preventing waterborne illness after flooding. Floodwater contamination comes from many sources, including but not limited to sewage, animal waste, chemicals, and harmful microorganisms brought into the area after a flood. There are many diseases caused by contaminated water, but some are more common than others. Thankfully, proactive decontamination and access to safe drinking water can help keep the public safe from waterborne diseases after floods.
Preventing waterborne illness after flooding is an important part of avoiding flood cleanup health risks. Floodwater contamination can present a variety of hazards, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Having access to safe drinking water through proper storage, treatment, and filtration is an important part of disaster preparedness.
Why Floodwaters Become Contaminated
Most cities and towns are built with the ability to handle some excess water. Drains and other infrastructure help to whisk the excess water away from the community and into natural reservoirs after a bout of heavy rainfall. However, like everything else, these systems have limits.
During a hurricane or other extreme weather event, the rain and high winds can overflow sewage systems and lead to independent septic system failures. Floodwater may also pick up agricultural runoff, associated animal waste, and industrial pollutants. Additionally, floodwaters can bring with them other forms of disease-carrying bacteria, viruses, and parasites from animals that are caught in the storm surge and subsequently pass away in the water.
Even water that appears to be clean can potentially be unsafe. Microorganisms cannot be detected with the naked eye and often cannot be tasted either.
Common Waterborne Diseases After Floods
Several illnesses are commonly associated with floodwater contamination. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Gastroenteritis
- E. coli
- Salmonella
- Leptospirosis
Each of these can cause illness, including symptoms such as severe stomach cramping, diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. As a result, it can be difficult to know which illness a person is infected with without a diagnostic test administered by a physician. Some waterborne illnesses can become extremely serious without appropriate treatment, often causing severe dehydration due to fluid loss.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Several groups of people are more at risk than the general population for contracting a serious illness from floodwater contamination. Those at greatest risk include people who are directly exposed to the contaminated water due to their role in floodwater cleanup. In addition to cleanup personnel, pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems can also experience severe illness or even death. Finally, those vulnerable populations without access to clean drinking water are more likely to contract an illness from floodwater contamination than those with access to reliable water treatment and filtration.
How to Prevent Waterborne Illnesses After Flooding
Waterborne illness after flooding is preventable. Floodwater or outdoor water sources that may appear safe should not be consumed after flooding. For disaster preparedness, having a reliable water filtration and storage system on hand can help provide access to safer drinking water when normal water supplies are disrupted.
The Uzima D-Prep ultra-portable water filter bag is a must for disaster preparedness. Our popular UZ-1 filter and a 10 Liter durable water bag are compact and swiftly deployable, offering peace of mind when access to safe drinking water is disrupted.
The Bottom Line
Waterborne illness is a serious concern after a natural disaster, but it can be prevented with the proper preparations. Proactive decontamination, proper water treatment, and avoiding drinking dirty water, even if it looks clean, are important ways to remain safe.