Coronavirus in drinking water and wastewater.
Coronavirus is spread through contact with other people. COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water plants. Based on current evidence (March 20, 2020), the risk of contamination in the drinking water supply is low. So there is no risk of using water as we have been doing so far.
The coronavirus, COVID-19, is “not robust”, is less stable in the environment and is therefore very susceptible to oxidants, such as chlorine or ozone, or the disinfection methods we use.
The World Health Organization WHO said there is no evidence of COVID-19 virus survival in drinking water or sewage, adding that the two main routes of transmission are respiratory or contact.
Is it safe to drink water?
The EPA recommends continuing to use and drink water as usual. But for Mexico it is essential to do so with a bacteriological treatment, not for Coronavirus, but for the other contaminants in municipal water.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that “the presence of COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water supplies and, based on current evidence, the risk to water supplies is low.” In addition, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), COVID-19 is believed to spread primarily between people in close contact with each other. EPA drinking water regulations require treatment in public drinking water systems to remove or eliminate pathogens, including viruses.
Technical summary of The World Health Organization. Water, sanitation, hygiene and waste management for the COVID-19 virus. March 2020.
Website: https://www.who.int/publications-detail/water-sanitation-hygiene-and-waste-management-for-covid-19. Reference number:WHO/2019-NcOV/
Do I need to boil my drinking water to make it potable?
It is not necessary to boil water as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.
Is it safe to use tap water for hand washing?
The EPA mentions that we can continue to use drinking water for personal hygiene as we do now. According to the CDC, washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds helps prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Treatments that municipal drinking water systems can include: filtration and disinfectants such as chlorine that remove pathogens before they reach the tap.
If you have a private well supply, you may consider chlorination treatment or ozone or ultraviolet light disinfection systems, which kill bacteria, viruses and other pathogens.
Can I get COVID-19 from sewage?
WHO has indicated that “there is no evidence to date that the COVID-19 virus has been transmitted through sewage systems, with or without sewage treatment.”
Do wastewater treatment plants treat COVID-19?
Yes, wastewater treatment plants treat viruses and other pathogens. COVID-19 is a type of virus that is particularly susceptible to conventional disinfection. Standard treatment and disinfection processes at wastewater treatment plants are expected to be effective.
Could my septic system treat COVID-19?
While private wastewater systems (i.e., septic tanks with treatment) do not fully disinfect, EPA expects that a properly operated septic wastewater system will not spread COVID-19 in the same manner as other viruses usually found in wastewater. In addition, when properly installed, a septic system is located at a distance and location designed to avoid impacting a well that supplies drinking water.
No specific COVID-19 protections are recommended for employees involved in wastewater plant operations, said the Water Environment Federation (WEF). Workers should follow routine practices to avoid exposure to wastewater.
Fecal transmission
The Federation (WEF) mentions that COVID-19 can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route. The RNA virus was detected in patients’ stool after scientists noticed that some patients infected with COVID-19 virus experienced diarrhea in the early stages of infection rather than fever, the latter being more common.
The CDC mentioned that it “does not know the risk of transmission of COVID-19 from the feces of an infected person. “However, it added, the risk is expected to be low based on data from previous outbreaks of related coronaviruses, such as SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). To date, there have been no reports of fecal-oral transmission of COVID-19, the CDC added.
Sources:
World Health Organization
EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency
