Health Hazards of Standing Rain Water in Indiana

Standing rain water in Indiana can be a breeding ground for microorganisms that are health hazards to humans. The Environmental Protection Agency warns that microorganisms from rainwater can become airborne and be inhaled. Heavy rain and flooding that occurred in the Midwest in 2011 were of serious concern to the Indiana Health Department, which took action to notify residents of some of the hazards they could face. County health departments began vaccinating residents for tetanus and providing water testing kits to prevent illness.

Mosquitoes

• Mosquitoes are a major concern in places like Indiana where rainwater is likely to stand in areas where it is not noticed for days. The Indiana Health Department warns the state's residents to search their properties and remove standing rainwater in ponds, ditches, clogged rain gutters, flower pots, plant saucers, puddles, buckets, garden equipment and cans. After a mosquito lays its eggs in the standing water, it takes seven to 10 days for the eggs to hatch. West Nile Virus has been detected in mosquitoes in Indiana.

E. Coli

• The potentially deadly bacteria E. coli was found in well water after the 2011 rains in Indiana. Some counties warned residents to boil their water before using it. Health officials made kits available so that water could be tested for E. coli. This bacteria is especially dangerous to children and elderly or ill people. Some businesses, such as Studio Café in Thiensville, Wisconsin, chose to shut their doors rather than risk the health of their customers when their water tested positive for the bacteria.

Tetanus

• Standing rainwater has always been a concern in the effort to fight tetanus. The Indiana Health Department, through county departments, picks up its effort to provide tetanus vaccinations after seasons of heavy rain. A person can be exposed to tetanus when they have a small cut or scratch that is exposed to standing rainwater. Tetanus is an acute infection that is often fatal, according to the Indiana Health Department. Water testing kits are made available in the state to test water for tetanus.

Parasites

• After the heavy rains in Indiana in 2011, health officials warned residents that parasites such as giardia or cryptosporidiosis could be in the water. Parasites are microscopic organisms that find entrance to the host via a number of methods. Rainwater can be splashed into the eyes, noses or mouths and provide a way for the parasite to get into a body. People who come in contact with standing rainwater through their work must be careful not to rub their eyes or touch their face after their hands have been in the water.