Why is Cryptosporidium a problem in drinking water?
A. Cryptosporidium is a problem because most water from lakes, rivers, and streams, contains some of the microscopic parasite. Most communities get their drinking water from these “surface” sources, rather than from underground sources such as wells. Cryptosporidium is highly resistant to chlorine and other disinfectants, which are used to kill bacteria and viruses in drinking water. In addition, Cryptosporidium is so small that it is not easily removed from water by the type of filters used in conventional municipal water treatment. Over half of the tested public water supplies that use surface water have been found to have small amounts of Cryptosporidium in the water sent to homes and businesses.
