How Contaminated Water Increases the Risk of Diseases Like Typhoid
Water can either heal or harm, but it depends on its quality. Every house depends on water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning, yet it ignores how silently contaminated water can impact your health. According to the WHO estimates, millions in developing countries still suffer from illnesses because of unsafe water each year. In India, where the risk of waterborne infections is high during monsoons and in regions with weak sanitation systems, it is important to stay safe.
When bacteria, viruses, or chemical pollutants enter the water supply, they disrupt the entire chain of well-being. Typhoid fever is one of the most common outcomes of drinking contaminated water, and its recurrence in urban and rural pockets shows how water quality directly defines public health.
Why Water Quality Is Important for Health?
Safe water is the foundation of good health. Contaminated water carries pathogens that multiply within the body. It affects organs and weakens immunity. Even a small lapse in sanitation, like open drainage near water sources or improper waste disposal, can lead to widespread contamination.
Clean water is good for digestion, hydration, and metabolic balance. When contaminated, it becomes a source for infections like cholera, dysentery, and typhoid. Many homes depend on stored or untreated groundwater, which appears clear but contains bacteria invisible to the naked eye. Over time, exposure to such water causes persistent health issues like skin infections and long-term digestive problems.
Maintaining water quality at your home keeps it safe and purified. Simple steps like regular filter cleaning or using a Water Purifier designed to remove pathogens can make a major difference in preventing disease.
What Is Typhoid Fever?
Typhoid fever is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. It spreads primarily through consumption of food or water contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. Once inside the body, the bacteria multiply in the intestines and enter the bloodstream, affecting vital organs.
Symptoms include
- prolonged high fever,
- weakness, stomach pain,
- loss of appetite, and sometimes a faint rash.
If untreated, it can lead to serious complications such as intestinal bleeding or perforation. In India, typhoid continues to be a major public health challenge that affects both children and adults due to sanitation issues and unsafe drinking sources.
Unlike viral fevers, typhoid can go on for weeks and recur if water hygiene is ignored. The causes of typhoid often trace back to simple lapses like drinking unfiltered water, eating uncovered street food, or using unclean utensils washed with unsafe water.
How Does Poor Water Quality Lead to Typhoid Fever?
When water sources mix with sewage or are stored without proper hygiene, bacteria like Salmonella typhi multiply. These pathogens thrive in contaminated environments and spread rapidly during the rainy season when drainage systems overflow.
- The cycle begins when infected faecal matter seeps into groundwater or surface water. People then consume this contaminated water directly or indirectly through washed vegetables and cooked food. In many Indian cities, even piped municipal water can be exposed to contamination due to leaking pipelines or improper treatment.
- Another factor is poor hygiene. Open storage containers allow dust, insects, and microbial growth. Using the same vessel for multiple purposes or touching stored water with unclean hands introduces bacteria again, even if it is filtered.
The bacteria enter the digestive system and pass through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. Once inside, they release toxins that cause prolonged fever and inflammation. This chain of infection continues until the source of contaminated water is identified and corrected. Using a Water Dispenser with a purification system offers a safe and convenient supply of clean water at home or work.
Other Common Water-Borne Illnesses
Typhoid is only one part of the broader challenge. Contaminated water can transmit several dangerous diseases. Here are some of the most frequent ones:
- Cholera – Caused by Vibrio cholerae, leads to severe dehydration through diarrhea and vomiting. Outbreaks often occur after heavy rainfall or flooding.
- Hepatitis A and E – Both are spread through the consumption of contaminated food and water. It affects the liver, causing jaundice, fatigue, and nausea.
- Dysentery – A result of Shigella bacteria or Entamoeba histolytica, this disease leads to severe intestinal inflammation and blood in stool.
- Gastroenteritis – Common in children, it leads to vomiting, diarrhoea, and weakness from viral or bacterial infection.
- Giardiasis – A parasitic infection that causes bloating and abdominal cramps. It is transmitted through unsafe water sources.
These contaminated water diseases affect communities where sanitation infrastructure is weak or where regular maintenance of tanks and pipes is neglected. Installing a water dispenser machine with multi-stage purification reduces exposure and provides filtered drinking water on demand.
How to Prevent Typhoid?
Preventing typhoid is a mix of personal hygiene, safe water practices, and community-level interventions. The steps below can reduce the risk:
- Always drink water that has been boiled, filtered, or purified through a trusted system. Home filters or advanced dispensers are effective in removing pathogens.
- Keep drinking water in closed, clean containers. Wash them regularly to avoid bacterial buildup.
- Food prepared in unhygienic conditions is a common carrier of typhoid bacteria. Hence, have food from clean and hygienic places.
- Wash your hands before eating and after using the toilet. Simple habits like these can stop bacterial transmission.
- Typhoid vaccines are available and can offer protection for several years, but not permanently.
- Test your water source periodically for contamination. It becomes more important if you depend on wells or borewells.
Clean drinking water is the single most effective line of defence. With a reliable filtration unit or a hot-cold water dispenser, you can stay hydrated without boiling water daily or depending on bottled water. It also maintains water temperature for all seasons - cool in summer and warm during cold months, while keeping it free from pathogens.
In workplaces or larger households, opting for a 20 ltr water dispenser helps in maintaining hygiene and catering to higher consumption volumes efficiently.
Conclusion
Contaminated water is at the core of India’s recurring health problems. Typhoid and other infections start small with a glass of unfiltered water or a washed vegetable, but their impact can be severe. The solution is better sanitation, responsible storage, and access to purified water every day.
Using trusted appliances at home or work can simplify this. A refrigerator with water storage or a Voltas water dispenser with built-in purification gives you clean water effortlessly.
Choose Voltas for water solutions that combine purity, convenience, and reliability. Whether you need a compact dispenser for your kitchen or a larger setup for your workspace, Voltas offers models designed for every need. Explore the range of water dispensers and take a step toward safer hydration for you and your family.
FAQs
How does typhoid fever get into water?
People infected with typhoid can pass the bacteria through their stool. When this waste mixes with water sources that are not properly treated or cleaned, Salmonella typhi spreads. The bacteria can also enter the body through food washed or prepared with contaminated water, such as raw fruits and vegetables without protective peels.
Can a change of environment cause typhoid?
Yes. Environmental changes like heavy rainfall, flooding, or poor waste management can increase typhoid cases. When floods overflow drains and mix sewage with drinking water, the risk of infection rises. Extreme weather conditions linked to climate change also make it easier for the bacteria to spread in areas without proper sanitation.
