Illnesses From Well Water

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 15 million homes in the United States rely on well water. Private wells do not have to meet the regulations the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces, which means some private wells can host contaminants that lead to illnesses from well water. Overflowing sewers, faulty pipers or wells too close to the ground's surface can contaminate the water source for a private well.

Salmonellosis

• Salmonella is most closely associated with food poisoning, but the bacteria is also one that causes illness from well water. The CDC reports around 40,000 cases of the illness in the United States each year. Symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache or fever usually present anywhere from 12 hours to 3 days after the infection enters a person's system. The symptoms tend to be worse in elderly individuals, children and people with chronic conditions like HIV that impair the immune system.

Gastroenteritis

• Gastroenteritis occurs when the gastrointestinal tract becomes inflamed. One cause of the illness is Escherichia coli 0157:H7. Like Salmonella, E. coli is one of the illnesses found in well water infected by the feces of people or animals carrying the bacteria. This particular strand of E. coli creates large amounts of toxins capable of damaging the lining of the large intestine, and causes a rare form of gastroenteritis called hemorrhagic colitis, which causes bloody diarrhea and severe abdominal cramps.

Hepatitis A

• The hepatitis A virus is the cause of a contagious liver disease. When the virus enters the body, it causes the liver to swell, preventing it from doing its job correctly. The infection can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. In most cases, the infected individual recovers with no permanent damage to the liver.

Shigellosis

• Shigellosis occurs when bacteria called Shigella enter the water source and then the body. The illness presents with symptoms like diarrhea that can contain mucous or blood. It can also cause a fever.

Giardiasis

• Microscopic parasites called Giardia intestinalis are the cause of giardiasis. When the parasites enter the body, they live in the intestine, with some passing on through feces. An outer shell protects the parasite, allowing it to survive outside of a body for several months. According to the CDC, giardiasis is the most common waterborne disease in the U.S. for humans. The illness causes symptoms that can include diarrhea, bloating, gas, vomiting, abdominal pain and weight loss.