Hygienic practices are prerequisite to keep away water borne diseases

Ludhiana, July 4, 2024: Pure and Clean drinking-water is vital for good health. Water used for drinking, teeth cleaning, hand washing, bathing, showering, food preparation and cooking needs to be free from chemicals and harmful germs, which may lead to water borne ailments.

The information was shared by Dr. Jasbir Sigh Bedi, Director, Centre for One Health, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana.

Dr. Bedi revealed that waterborne disease can be bacterial, viral and parasitic, many of which are gastro-intestinal pathogens. Many water-borne diseases such as giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, hepatitis A & E viral infections, leptospirosis, typhoid and cholera can occur due to drinking of contaminated water especially in the rainy season. Infection commonly results when this contaminated water is used for drinking purposes, or consumption of cross contaminated food with poor quality water.

Dr. Bedi said that according to the World Health Organization, diarrheal diseases are one of the leading causes of death in children under five years old. It was estimated that most of this burden is attributable to unsafe water supply, poor sanitation and hygiene, and is mostly concentrated in resource limited regions.

The experts from the Centre for One Health have advised the public to be aware of the water-borne diseases that normally increase during the rainy season. During this season, blockage and overflow of sewage pipes is a major source of contamination of drinking water supply. Further, the resulting stagnant waters act as breeding grounds for mosquitoes leading to increased risks of mosquito transmitted diseases such as dengue, malaria etc. Therefore, people should take preventive measures like ensuring that water does not get accumulated in and around their houses.

Moreover, improperly managed water storage tanks can be a major source of contamination. Thereby, periodic maintenance and disinfection of the household water storage tank is necessary to maintain water quality. The experts from Vet Varsity have recommended that the water tank may be disinfected at least twice a year, and water should be periodically tested for the presence of microbes and other contaminants.

In addition, water purifiers or filters installed in houses should be of reputed quality. There should be proper maintenance of filters; as the filters may act as a potential source of microbial contamination of water, if not cleaned from time to time.

In case of any doubt, the water sample potability should be tested from authorized laboratories. Such a facility is also available at the Centre for One Health in the university. Thus, a significant amount of disease could be prevented through better access to safe water supply, adequate disinfection facilities and better hygiene practices.