| CONTAMINANTS |
SOURCE |
PROBLEMS |
| Arsenic |
Geothermal areas |
Health problems |
| Bacteria |
Septic tanks, bird and animal faecesback flushing from incorrectly connected W.C. bowls, sewage discharges |
Diarrhoea, Gastroenteritis
Other waterborne disease |
| Boron |
Geothermal areas |
Health problems. |
| Carbon dioxide |
Atmosphere and decaying vegetation |
Corrosion |
| Chemicals |
Backflow (suck-back) from incorrectly connected dosing equipment, cattle feeding systems, garden hoses dangling in container etc |
Health problems depending on the nature of chemical contaminants. |
| Colour |
Decaying vegetation |
Appearance |
| Copper |
Dissolved from pipes or taps by aggressive water |
Staining, taste |
| Faecal material |
Backflow (suck-back) from incorrectly connected waste disposal equipment animal washdowns, etc |
Diarrhoea, Gastrointestinal infection |
| Hardness |
Dissolved rocks |
Soap demand
Scale formation in kettles and Hot water tanks |
| Iron |
Dissolved rocks, especially in bore water |
Taste, Staining, Clogging of pipes and valves |
| Manganese |
Dissolved rocks |
Taste, Staining |
| Nitrates |
Fertilisers, clover, Septic tank soakage |
Can cause health problems for bottle fed babies |
| pH |
Atmosphere, decaying vegetation, dissolved rocks |
Corrosion if too low, Scale forming if too high |
Protozoan cysts, eg Giardia
Cryptosporidium |
Septic tanks: bird and animal faeces on roofs, in streams; sewage discharges |
Diarrhoea, Protozoan infection |
| Taste and odour |
Algae |
Unpleasant to drink, Can be toxic |
| Turbidity |
Dirt |
Appearance (usually biologically Contaminated
as well) |
| Viruses |
Sewage, bird and animal faeces |
Gastroenteritis
Other waterborne diseases |
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