Is Flood Water Contaminated?
Harvey’s Rising Waters Are A Public Health Risk.
Unfortunately, flood water is very prone to contamination — and officials are resultantly advising Texas’ residents to take extensive precautions.
In an interview with Time magazine earlier this week, Dr. Richard Bradley, the chief of the division of emergency medical services and disaster medicine at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center, noted that "The bacterial count in floodwater is extremely high."
The Washington Post also reported yesterday that in Houston there is specific concern about contamination via Superfund sites, which are pieces of land that have been contaminated by toxic water and that have been identified as federal priorities for cleanup by the EPA.
As the Post noted, there is concern that flood waters will pick up toxic waste from Superfund sites, potentially contaminating any areas where the flood water crosses and/or leaves deposits.
It is commonplace for officials to advise residents not to drink tap water immediately after a hurricane.
According to CBS, there are several ways in which those in Texas can limit their contact with contaminated flood water.
Moreover, Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told CBS that residents should throw out any food that may have come into contact with flood water, as it could potentially be contaminated.
Glatter warned that bodily exposure to flood water makes people prone to skin infections, wound infections, and pink eye, among other issues.