Although one would normally only find bacteria strains such as Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium in surface waters such as rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, etc., they can contaminate a well during a flood.

• Symptoms shown by a person afflicted by Giardia include, but may not be limited to, diarrhea, fatigue, and cramps.
• Symptoms shown by a person afflicted by Cryptosporidium include, but may not be limited to, diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps. Additionally, this type of bacteria resists many common disinfection methods quite well.

note: Individuals with suppressed or compromised immune systems may exhibit worse symptoms for longer periods of time than peole with ‘healthy’ or ‘normal’ immune systems.

The best way to guarantee the safety of your water after a flood means getting the water tested by certified water professionals. Home water test kits for bacteria serve as excellent maintenance tools for checking the bacteria levels of well water, but in the event of an actual ‘incident’ such as a flood, which may have caused the contamination of your drinking water, always seek the advice and assistance of Water Quality Experts in your area.

Locating Certified Drinking Water Laboratories

The United States Environmental Protection Agency suggests you contact the State Certification Officer for Drinking Water Laboratories for your state.

Click here to access a list of contact phone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses for State Certification Officer for Drinking Water Laboratories on the United States Environmental Protection Agency web site.