Ive heard of cryptosporidium and giardia being found in tap water. What are they?
Cryptosporidium is a water borne parasite that lives in hooved animals and can be passed into surface water through their waste. Cryptosporidium from animal wastes have been found in rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, and many other types of surface water. Infection can last for months and can be fatal. Giardia is a waterborne parasite that can be found in a number of animal species other than humans. The deposition of cysts by beavers, dogs, etc. in surface water or a wasteshed poses a problem. Ingestion by humans of one or more cysts may cause disease, as contrasted to most bacterial illnesses where hundreds to thousands of organisms must be consumed to produce illness. Normally illness lasts for 1 to 2 weeks, but there are cases of chronic infections lasting months to years. If the water is for human consumption, simply adding chlorine in amounts used for control of bacteria in tap water will not destroy cryptosporidium or giardia.
