Pathogens in Drink Water/ chromium
Water Resource Mgt

Abstarct

I going to talk to you about pathogens in drinking Water/ chromium. First Pathogens are micro-organisms that can cause disease. Pathogens of particular concern include bacteria, viruses and protozoa. Many of the pathogens that can be spread through drinking water are also spread through other means, including direct contact with people who are sick, contact with animals, contaminated food, and swimming in contaminated pools. Water is essential to human and organisms to live “Drinking water, “2008). Water covers most of the world and makes up more of the world than land. Water comes from different sources. Water may surround us but there are still shortages. Water allows us to live but it could be harmful to our bodies when polluted. Humans and natural disasters can cause damage to the water supply It is important to conserve water whenever possible (“Drinking Water, “2008). Oceans make up two-thirds of the Earth (“Drinking Water,”2008). It is made up of saltwater. So this is what im going to be talking about in my paper. Im also going to talk about different companys that deal with water pathogens.

It is the most basic resource. It is indispensable to life. It has caused wars and struggles around the world. Though water may seem abundant, the value of clean drinking water is not to be underestimated. Most citizens of the United States sleep soundly with the assumption that their water is fit to drink. These citizens are ignorant. They are unaware of a lethal threat that is hiding in many cities’ water sources: hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium, also known as chromium 6, is a heavy metal and a known cause of several different types of cancer. This carcinogen is often found at low levels in drinking water, at which point it is not dangerous. It becomes dangerous, however, when certain corporations leak large amounts of this chemical into drinking water sources through improper disposal procedures. When this occurs, hexavalent chromium poses a threat to the health of the members of the communities who receive drinking water from these sources.
Many people worry about getting sick from tap water, because of articles on the news and in the papers, for instance about Legionella outbreaks. They may either drink bottled water or install expensive water purification systems as a result of this. However, studies have indicated that many of these consumers are being ripped off due to the expenses of bottled water and in some cases they may end up drinking water that is dirtier then they can get from their taps. To be safe, consumers that buy bottled water should determine wheather the company that supplies them with water belongs to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) and lives up to the testing requirements of drinking water. The IBWA sends inspectors to its companies annually, to ensure that a plant produces safe drinking water. People can also spare themselves the costs of bottled water and have their tap water tested by local health authorities or private labs. If any contaminants are discovered they are removed and the contaminant is gone.

Though scientists have much knowledge about hexavalent chromium and its effects on the human body, few standards exist to regulate its disposal. Chromium is found in drinking water sources and the environment in two principal forms: trivalent chromium and hexavalent chromium (OEHHA, 2009). Hexavalent Chromium is a metal particle that can occur naturally in rocks but is most commonly produced by industrial process (OEHHA, 2009). It is a strong oxidizer, meaning it has the ability to gain electrons from other elements and easily react with them (“3M US,” 2009). Due to its ability to react with other elements, it forms hard coatings without difficulty. This property is also what makes hexavalent chromium a health hazard (“3M US,” 2009). Hexavalent