Dangerous Microorganisms in Drinking Water: How Reverse Osmosis and Filters Protect Against Bacteria

Water is essential for life, but it’s crucial to be aware of the potential dangers lurking in what we consume daily. Our tap water can harbor a variety of harmful microorganisms, including bacteria like Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella, Shigella (which causes dysentery), Yersinia enterocolitica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli. These pathogens can lead to severe illnesses if ingested.

Viruses are another concern. Drinking water may contain adenoviruses, enteroviruses, rotaviruses, the hepatitis A virus, and less familiar ones like Norwalk and small round viruses. Additionally, protozoa such as Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Dracunculus medinensis can be present, posing significant health risks.

Even those relying on municipal water systems aren’t entirely safe. There’s a risk of exposure to helminth cysts, coliform bacteria, Clostridium spores, fecal streptococci, and coliphages, all of which can cause serious diseases. Given these dangers, installing effective water purification and treatment systems becomes essential.

The threat from these microorganisms is particularly concerning for vulnerable groups. While healthy adults might fend off many pathogens, children with developing immune systems are more susceptible, often suffering from gastrointestinal issues due to bacterial infections.

Boiling water is a common method to kill microorganisms. However, while some bacteria perish at 100 °C, not all do. For instance, eliminating the hepatitis virus requires even higher temperatures. Alarmingly, prions, the agents responsible for mad cow disease, remain intact even after seven hours of boiling. Some helminths and cysts die at 60 °C, most during boiling, but to ensure their complete elimination, water needs to be boiled for 30−40 minutes.

To combat these dangers, public health services often resort to chlorination. However, this method can create a false sense of security. Some bacteria and viruses exhibit resistance to chlorine. Moreover, chlorine itself, once inside our bodies, can increase the risk of cancer, contribute to atherosclerosis, negatively impact the cardiovascular system, and weaken the immune system.

The danger isn’t limited to chlorine itself; its carcinogenic compounds are even more harmful, having toxic effects on our bodies. Simple chlorination is insufficient to fight microorganisms in water. After chlorination, it is necessary to remove chlorine-containing compounds from the water. Following this, ultraviolet or ionizing radiation, ultrasound, or filtration should be applied. Ultraviolet filtration systems are an effective way to eliminate microorganisms in water, but for obtaining absolutely pure water, reverse osmosis systems are the best choice.

Reverse osmosis systems provide exceptionally pure water from any source by passing it through a semi-permeable membrane that removes not only large contaminants but also microscopic impurities, including bacteria and viruses. For industrial use, it is recommended to first analyze the water quality to determine the level of contamination and then acquire the necessary equipment. For home use, the typical setup includes "filtration — dosing or water softening — final purification." This process not only cleans the water from major contaminants but also protects appliances from scale, reduces water hardness, saves on detergents, and ends with a final stage that produces the highest quality drinking water.

In conclusion, considering the many health risks associated with untreated tap water, investing in a reverse osmosis filter for bacteria is not just a precaution but a necessity to ensure the safety and purity of drinking water, protect our health, and enhance our quality of life.