Cryptosporidium in water systems on caravan sites in Northants

Jun 18, 2008
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How do we rid our caravan water systems of this bug?In Northamptonshire we have been told to boil all water for drinking. So it must follow that our water systems are contaminated.Any ideas please.

tash
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Boil all your drinking water !!

Over the years we've been on sites (CC club sites as it happens) and been told to boil all drinking water - it happens !!
 

Damian

Moderator
Mar 14, 2005
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Taken from Wikipedia:

Cryptosporidium has a spore phase (oocyst) and in this state it can survive for lengthy periods outside a host. It can also resist many common disinfectants, notably chlorine based disinfectants.[3] As a result of this resistance, water purification to eliminate Cryptosporidium generally relies upon coagulation followed by filtration or boiling. Recently, it has been discovered that Cryptosporidium is sensitive to ultraviolet light and ozonation, and water treatments based on these sterilization methods are being developed.[4][5]

Most treatment plants that take raw water from rivers, lakes, and reservoirs for public drinking water production use conventional filtration technologies. This involves a series of processes including coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration. Direct filtration, which is typically used to treat water with low particulate levels, includes coagulation and filtration but not sedimentation. Other common filtration processes are slow sand, diatomaceous earth filter, membranes, and bag and cartridge filters. Conventional, direct, slow sand and diatomaceous earth technologies will remove 99% of Cryptosporidium.[6] Membranes and bag and cartridge filters remove Cryptosporidium on a product-specific basis. With the proper concentrations and contact time, Cryptosporidium inactivation will occur with chlorine dioxide and ozone treatment. Additionally, ultraviolet light treatment at relatively low doses will inactivate Cryptosporidium.
 
Jul 15, 2005
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Tash,

That's not good. Cryptosporidium protozoa doesn't respond to oxychloride bleaches, so Milton tablets, etc., won't readily kill the bugs.

The sterilising agents that do - high energy UV light or Ozone - or treatment with Aluminium Hydroxide coagulants followed by ultra-fine filtration - aren't available to Joe Publics... But boiling does kill the protozoa bugs.

So it as case of "don't drink the water", and then try cleaning the whole water system with Milton tablets and hot water - several times over...

The protozoa can survive for long periods outside the host (you) so it's not safe to assume that a dry Aquaroll will be OK...

But the only way you'll know that all the Cryptosporidium protozoa have gone from your Aquaroll is if you stop getting diarrhoea when you use the caravan...

Seriously, if you do have vulnerable people (the very young and very old) accompany you in your caravanning trips - then replacement might be better than cleaning...

Robert
 
Feb 26, 2007
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Contact your local water board......they should have a customer service department and ask them to give you advice.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Hi Tash,

Sorry to hear of your water problems, Thankfully if this had happened to us , all we would have had to do was buy a new one ltr water container, we never ever use the water from barrells that flows through the system to drink, always via the fresh water from the container, which has kept the dog healthy as well.

Royston
 
Jul 15, 2005
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Hi Tash,

Yes, replacement means replacement - if you do have the dormant phase of the protozoa in your caravan water system - then they could be anywhere - particularly any joints in the pipework.

The only way to find out is that have samples sent to a laboratory - and that won't be cheap... And DIY replacement would probably be cheaper... Or several hot water flushes with an oxychloride bleach.

We never drink water from the CarrySan - only from a separate 1 litre water jug or bottled water - mostly because of the taste, but I won't drink water that has sat in a CarrySan or Aquaroll...

Robert
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Rob - they don't replace the main distribution pipework after an outbreak - why are caravans different?
 
Mar 27, 2005
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Hi Tash

I live in the area affected and in Daventry there has been an Anglian water information trailer so I asked today for you.

Rob-Jax has taken care of the science stuff so no need to repeat that bit.

The gen I got was that the risk was an insignificant one. The levels found were only remotely likely to affect the very young and high risk wrinkleys. In all the time the 'emergency' has been in force there has not been one single reported case of illness. The guy I spoke to was ironically a caravanner himself he also had letters after his name so I assume he was knowledgeable.

His advice was that there was all but no risk but if you wanted to be sure boil out or replace your filter, if you have one, and flush through your pipes with a couple of aqua rolls of tap water. He was absolutely confident this was all that was needed.
 
Jul 15, 2005
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Hi Roger,

No they don't - but they will take actions to remove or reduce the risk - including flushing the pipes with a very high water flow - to physical scour bugs from the pipe surfaces; and then add a high dose of Ozone to the water (or in the past Chlorine) to sterilise the system.

The problem with a caravan supply is that you can't use high flow rates to scour the pipes - and it's quite difficult to totally clean a CarrySan or Aquaroll - and also you can't buy Ozone or Chlorine.

If someone has drunk the water and then suffered diarrhoea in 12 to 24 hours - then they probably have a problem - and then they'd need to consider replacement or a very aggressive cleaning regime

If someone has drunk the water and then suffered diarrhoea in just an hour or so - then they need to look elsewhere - the same applies to food poisoning from a restaurant - it usually takes 8 or more hours for the bugs to get going and start you going...

But if it's just a concern about possibly becoming ill - and no one in the neighbourhood has been ill - then an aggressive clean should be OK.

Robert
 
May 5, 2005
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Its in the local rag,sorry Daventry Express that a rabbit got into somewhere it shouldnt and caused all this hassle.Hope Alqueda dont take the paper as its a lot easier throwing dead rabbits in reservoirs than blowing things up,if they buy some tesco shares they'll make a fortune from bottled water sales as well
 

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