How do natural disasters such as flooding affect drinking water?
During and after flooding, water can become contaminated with microorganisms - such as bacteria, sewage, agricultural or industrial waste, chemicals, and other substances that can cause serious illness.
Contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to the transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio.
Advisory
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- If you don’t have safe bottled water, boil water to make it safe.
- Boiling is the surest method to make water safer to drink by killing disease-causing organisms, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
- Drinking water should always be boiled if the colour of the water turns turbid or the regular water supply is frequently interrupted.
Note:
If you develop symptoms of diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, and/or abdominal pains after drinking unsafe water, seek medical attention at your UniClinic or at the nearest health facility near you.
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[Office of the Registrar - Department of Student Support Services]