• Question: Is there a way to stop diseases flowing through our water supplies and if so how?

    Asked by anon-253934 to Leanne, Laura, James_the_Scientist, Helena, Faith, Amy on 11 May 2020.
    • Photo: James Beswick

      James Beswick answered on 11 May 2020:

      In the UK we have infrastructure which treats water to make it safe before it gets to our tap. The water undergoes steps including filtration and disinfection before it enters the water supply. Check out this website for more detail: https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help-and-advice/water-quality/how-we-look-after-your-water/drinking-water-treatment

    • Photo: Leanne Milton-Harris

      Leanne Milton-Harris answered on 12 May 2020:

      Our water supplies are extremely well protected against diseases. If water gets contaminated with microorganisms (mainly bacteria and parasites), it can cause all sorts of diseases like cholera, dysentery and typhoid fever. In the UK, these are historic diseases because we have excellent infrastructure in place to keep our water supplies clean and safe. Other parts of the world still struggle with these diseases though – although most of them can be treated with antibiotics or anti-parasitics, maintaining a clean water supply and preventing the disease is far more effective.

      Our water supplies go through a lot of different cleaning processes before it gets to your tap! It’s filtered through different sized screens to remove particles, it’s treated with things like carbon to remove chemical traces like pesticides, and it’s disinfected to kill any microorganisms. It’s a very good system and it helps keep everyone safe!

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