Does the Coronavirus pose a risk in drinking water?
As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to spread in communities across the globe and with social distancing and/or lockdowns now considered the norm in many parts of the world, many people are asking if the coronavirus can contaminate water sources, and is it is still safe to drink tap water? This article answers some of the FAQs that people have with regard to coronavirus and drinking water quality.
What are Coronaviruses?
Coronaviruses, as the name suggests, are viruses adorned with spikes that give them a crown-like appearance, which first appeared in the 1960s. Currently, there are seven different types of pathogenic coronaviruses that are known to cause illness in humans, including MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), SARS-CoV (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), and COVID-19 (also referred to as novel Coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2), all of which are zoonotic pathogens that are believed to have originated in wild animals before being passed on to humans.
How is COVID-19 spread?
It is suspected that the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for causing COVID-19 was passed on to a human from a wild caught pangolin in a wet market in Wuhan, China, where wild animals from all over the world are kept in cramped conditions before being slaughtered for human consumption.
From there, it has spread from human to human via aerosol droplets expelled during exhalation, coughing or sneezing. This is primarily through direct contact with an infected person. However, as the virus can survive on surfaces for varying lengths of time, it can also be picked up when a contaminated surface is touched, passing from the hands to the mouth, nose or eyes of an unsuspecting person when these areas are touched/rubbed, allowing the virus to spread from contaminated inanimate objects to humans as well.
Can Coronavirus survive in water?
While it is believed that the primary mode of dispersal and infection is through aerosol droplets, a recent study suggests that coronavirus can also be transmitted via human waste. Which then begs the question: if sewage potentially contains coronavirus, what are the odds of the virus passing through Wastewater treatment facilities or leaching out of septic systems and getting into freshwater systems that serve as drinking water sources? Would the virus survive in the environment, and could it contaminate drinking water sources?
Depends who you ask. But even then, the answer is not so cut and dried.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that at this point in time "there is no evidence to date that COVID-19 virus has been transmitted via sewerage systems, with or without wastewater treatment."
In order for the coronavirus to spread via water systems, it must be able to survive in human feces and remain infectious, before coming into contact with another human — most likely through exposure to contaminated aerosols. One needs to consider that this is considered an emerging viral pathogen that until recently was unknown. Therefore not much is known regarding its fate in wastewater, water, or the environment at large.
North Korea for one, is not taking any chances. The coronavirus outbreak and associated public health outfall in neighboring China has prompted North Korea to test wastewater and source water to ensure drinking water sources originating upstream in mainland China do not pose a health risk to its population.
Back in the US, the University of Arizona's Water and Energy Sustainable Technology Center (WEST), which has the necessary laboratory equipment and expertise in coronavirus research is initiating a monitoring program to allow Coronavirus sewage surveillance for any interested Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). It plans to use the data collected to determine:
- If/when the coronavirus enters a municipal area;
- What concentration can be expected in untreated wastewater, and how much of a risk does this pose to wastewater treatment personnel;
- How effective is the wastewater treatment process at removing the virus.
Is the wastewater treatment effective against Coronavirus?
An earlier study conducted by WEST researchers that looked at the survival of coronaviruses in water and wastewater suggests that coronaviruses are no more resistant to water treatment than other pathogenic microorganisms such as poliovirus, phage or E. Coli, which are routinely used to evaluate water treatment performance. The researchers concluded that "Coronaviruses die off very rapidly in wastewater, with a 99.9% reduction in 2–3 days…. Survival of the coronaviruses in primary wastewater was only slightly longer than secondary wastewater, probably due to the higher level of suspended solids that offer protection from inactivation."
However, while the wastewater treatment process is effective at reducing virus levels, infectious pathogenic human viruses often still persist in wastewater effluent following the treatment process. Considering that wastewater effluent can potentially impact freshwater systems used for drinking water, irrigation and recreation, this is reason for concern. Especially if one takes into account the health, social and economic impacts that the new coronavirus is having globally. And what about the impact from septic systems and/or the impact on drinking water quality of private wells, which are not closely monitored?
Is my tap water safe to drink from Coronavirus?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the new coronavirus is primarily transmitted from person to person through close contact with an infected individual. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and World Health Organization (WHO), Americans can continue to drink tap water as the risk of contracting COVID-19 from tap water is currently considered low. By the same token, the EPA suggests that it is not necessary to boil tap water before drinking it, or to only drink bottled water, to protect yourself from COVID-19. In order to comply with EPA drinking water standards, public drinking water systems are required to treat water in order to remove or kill harmful pathogens (including viruses) from drinking water before it is supplied to consumers.
Is drinking water treatment effective for Coronavirus?
As mentioned above, public drinking water utilities have to comply with drinking water regulations that prevent drinking water supplied to consumers from being contaminated with waterborne pathogens. During the water treatment process, drinking water is typically disinfected with chlorine and/or filtered to kill and/or remove any disease-causing pathogens that may be present, before it reaches your tap.
What if I still have concerns?
The new coronavirus is considered an emerging viral pathogen, meaning there is still a lot that is unknown. Very little is known about the potential environmental health impacts the virus could have if it gets into wastewater and/or water sources, and the public health impacts associated with exposure to environmental sources may only show up much later. We'll continue to monitor the research closely and report what we find as it turns up.
Understandably, many consumers will want to find out what their water supplier is doing to protect them from being exposed to COVID-19 via their drinking water, or they may want to take measures to protect themselves.
Consumers whose drinking water is supplied by a public water utility can contact their water provider to find out what treatment measures (for example chlorination and/or filtration) their utility is using to eradicate pathogens from their drinking water.
Consumers who get their drinking water from private wells may want to consider investing in a good quality home water purifying system that is capable of removing viruses and other harmful pathogens. The Berkey water filter line of systems have been proven to remove over 99.9999% of viruses, as well as bacteria, parasites, harmful chemicals and a wide range of other contaminants that pose a risk to human health, and will offer protection and peace of mind for anyone who is concerned about the safety of their drinking water. Learn more about how you can protect yourself from exposure to the novel coronavirus here.
