Drinking water often contaminated with germs

Health authorities have found that drinking water is often contaminated with dangerous germs

The drinking water from the tap is often contaminated with germs, as determined by a nationwide investigation of health authorities. The water was examined from the line especially in public buildings such as Bundeswehr barracks, day care centers, hospitals and other public facilities.

So far, the drinking water in Germany was considered very clean. But according to investigations by the health authorities, a different picture is emerging. As reported by the newspaper "Neue Ruhr / Neue Rhein Zeitung" from Essen, drinking water is often contaminated with disease-causing bacteria. For water samples between 2003 and 2009, about 20,000 samples were taken. The scientists found pathogens such as legionella and "pseudomonads" and other bacteria. These pathogens can cause illnesses such as pneumonia, inflammation of the urinary tract and burns. Especially chronic patients and infants are particularly at risk because their immune system is not strong enough.

According to the newspaper report, the researchers found in 2908 of the total of 22,786 water samples Legionella bacteria. In 102 samples taken from 3468, so-called "pseudomonads“ Germs detected. These are u.a. responsible for cystitis, pneumonia and burn infections. Drinking legionella-rich water poses no particular threat to health for people with a healthy and normal immune system. However, people at risk of aging, chronically ill, or in whom the immune system is not yet fully developed are at risk. The last group includes children and infants.

The water samples were taken from the health authorities throughout Germany. The entire evaluation was subsequently carried out by the University of Essen. The researcher Prof. Hans-Curt Flemming criticized that the health authorities were understaffed overall. For this reason, the control density is not appropriate, so the criticism. All in all, offices in about 40,000 public buildings must control the quality of the water. The largest outbreak of a legionella epidemic in Germany occurred at the beginning of January 2010 in the Ulm area. In total, 5 people died as a result of the infection, 64 people had become infected. An old home remedy can protect against a Legionella infection. If the water is heated to at least 70 degrees, the bacetria die off. (sb, 28.09.2010)

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Picture credits: Huber