Waterborne Threats
Contaminated water in the work place is never life threatening but what it will do if there is an outbreak is to affect numerous members of staff all at the same time as they most likely drink from the same source. This can put a strain on the business being able to maintain a level of service and consideration should be given when drawing up a business continuity plan to document a skills matrix so as this can be used if members of staff are unavailable.
When sanitation does break down and sewage or untreated water accidentally gets into the drinking water, the whole population fed by that supply is at risk. In the world’s worst outbreak of cryptosporidiosis which occurred in April 1993 in Milwaukee, in the US. Raw water from a river carrying flood water contaminated the distribution system for drinking water. Out of the 800,000 people served by that system 370,000 became ill, 4400 were admitted to hospital and 40 are thought to have died. An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis occurred in Britain in 1989 in the Oxford area when at least 500 people became ill, but fortunately no one died from it. Both outbreaks happened when the protozoan Cryptosporidium contaminated the water supply.
As in the recent floods in the UK if at the first signs of there being a problem associated with the water the workplace should switch to using bottled water until such time as the source of the out break is discovered.
"Remember that any protection, however temporary, is better than none at all, and the more shielding, distance and time you can take advantage of, the better.."