Residents of the Southeastern region, still reeling from the destruction of Hurricane Ida, may be so absorbed in outside damages that they fail to see hidden problems. Contamination of drinking water is one of the most concerning after-effects of a hurricane, as toxins in the waterway can remain invisible for years and pose a severe health hazard.
Floodwaters carry all sorts of pollutants. Here are a few ways that hurricanes and thunderstorms can severely affect your drinking water:
Toxins from Factories and Industrial Areas
Dangerous byproducts from nearby factories can get into the groundwater because of flooding. Arsenic, mercury, and lead can contaminate wells in areas where coal ash is released from generators. Finally, the floodwater and winds carry these pollutants into clean streams and waters that directly impact the safety of a consumer’s drinking water.
Animal Waste
Any animal with a disease and the toxic products from farms can sneak into drinking water from the floodwater push. Waste pits or lagoons built for pigs can overflow, causing manure to swell
into all bodies of water around. The nitrates in the manure make it difficult for the blood of those exposed to carry oxygen to their tissues and can lead to serious sickness and death.
Under-Treated Water
After Hurricane Ida, many areas in Louisiana were out of power for weeks. Some water treatment plants were affected; even on backup power, treatment plants may not run at full capacity. This means that chemicals, toxins, and debris slip into public water. When this type of contamination happens, water mains and lines in specific households can be severely affected.
Is My Water Safe?
Your drinking water may seem clear after Ida’s havoc. However, most likely, it contains some contaminants. that will be dangerous to you and your family. Furthermore, if you don’t have a reverse osmosis sink filter or whole house filter installed, now is the time to consider installing either a residential or commercial system, as those impurities haven’t gone away.
Call (504) 838-8345 today to schedule your free water analysis. A certified technician will visit your home and test your water, directly showing you the levels of heavy metals, harmful bacteria, and inorganic chemicals and identifying any evidence of issues such as turbidity and hardness.