The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) have been informed of a new pathway for infectious diseases and poisons to enter our lives. The CDC and the EPA refused to act to save lives from contaminated drinking water.
The hour is late. I am tired. I should probably be asleep. However, I am troubled by the fact that government officials choose to let people die. Therefore, I write to fight against loss of life.
I wrote a recent Op Ed, and many government officials who regulate multiple industries not only chose inaction, but they refused to even answer charges that "The U.S. Government Murders Us Through Indifference and Deceit - Cover-ups Throughout U.S. Industries". This follow-up Op Ed focuses on those who refuse to stop E. coli and Listeria disease infections, along with lead and copper poisonings.
These health hazards may seem unrelated, but they are integrally related. I detailed a pathway for E. coli and Listeria to cause illness and death (Figures 1 and 2), and this same pathway poisons people. "Our Water Mains Contaminate Us with E. Coli, Lead and Copper - Illness and Death Follow". The CDC and EPA refused to act when informed of this new health finding.
Water Main Breaks Create Health Hazards
Specifically, preventable water main breaks lead to infectious disease transmissions and poisonings.
- Preventable water hammers crack underground pipes, and E. coli and Listeria later swim into our drinking water during low-pressure conditions.
- Low pressure conditions can be caused by power outages when water pumps do not supply sufficient pressures to keep the infections outside the water mains.
- Low pressure conditions occur any time water mains are isolated, or valved out, from the rest of the pressurized water supply.
- Preventable water hammers crack pipes to corrode lead and copper into drinking water.
- Water hammer-pressure surges are caused by pump, valve, and fire hydrant operations in water systems.
'The stakes are human lives that are affected by E. coli infections [Listeria infections], and drinking water contaminations by lead and copper. First of all, this research targets a new and urgent understanding of a common cause for E. coli outbreaks, which results in many illnesses and deaths every year. As part of a world-wide problem, E. coli infects more than 73,000 people and kills more than 60 people every year in the U.S. alone ("Our Water Mains Contaminate Us With E. coli, Lead and Copper - Illness and Death Follow", Click Here).'
'[Listeriosis is a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. An estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die. The infection is most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems' ("Listeria", .cdc.gov/listeria/index.html)].
'Also, a connection exists between urinary tract infections and water main-break transmissions of E. coli, where five to seven million cases strike each year in the U.S. Methods are confined to an extensive literature review and detailed studies of pertinent topics.
Research concludes that a phenomenon referred to as water hammer breaks underground water mains, and underground E. coli [and Listeria] enter water mains during power outages or pressure losses to distribute E. coli to our homes, businesses and irrigation systems to drive E. coli outbreaks. People die from E. coli, and illnesses and deaths are preventable.
New theory proves that water systems are infected during normal operations that crack water mains to permit E. coli [and Listeria] ingress into pipes to infect homes, businesses and irrigation. E. coli [and Listeria] infection outbreaks can be stopped. Essentially, water hammer breaks water mains, E. coli enters piping during power outages and other system shutdowns, infected water is pushed to customers ahead of any disinfectants that are added prior to return to service, and infections spread to water consumers.
The most important research conclusion is that E. coli [and Listeria] infections will stop by controlling water main-break destruction and controlling water operations after power outages and water pressure losses.
A parallel health concern relates lead and copper contaminations of water supplies to water hammer-induced water main breaks. Another important finding proves that lead and copper contamination of drinking water systems can be minimized.
If water hammers are reduced, water main breaks will be reduced, and infections and contaminations will be reduced. Although facts explain observations of lethal E. coli outbreaks, experimental validation of theory following a future outbreak is required.
There is more work required, but if people are unaware of this pandemic health hazard, no work will be done, and the hazard will continue. The learning curve to safe drinking water should not climb slowly, but should sharply leap to save lives and ensure water safety' ("Our Water Mains Contaminate Us With E. coli, Lead and Copper - Illness and Death Follow").
The Primary Sources of Disease Infections are Not Typically Located
The CDC and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) frequently find a source of infections, following a disease outbreak. For example, vegetable, cheese, or meat products are commonly found to be causes of illnesses. However, the means that infected the vegetables and meats are never identified. Once someone is found to blame for an illness, the government investigation of that illness outbreak immediately comes to an end. The actual source of contamination is overlooked.
For example, in a recent Listeria outbreak, "53,000 pounds of Boar's Head and other meat products [were] recalled over listeria concerns" (Click Here). There is no expectation, whatsoever, that the CDC or FDA investigation will evaluate water contamination properly.
As another example "Alfalfa sprouts recalled after FDA testing finds E. coli" (click here). The FDA found E. coli on the spouts, but did not find the location where that E. coli originated. That is, the primary source of the infection was not found, where the water supply was not properly investigated.
That is, a pathway to move E. coli and Listeria from underground to above ground must be identified. A pathway through our drinking water has been identified. Yet, the CDC and FDA have yet to investigate this pathway for a single case of disease.
The Primary Sources of Lead and Copper Poisonings are Not Typically Located
Similarly, lead and copper contamination levels in drinking water spike immediately after water hammers occur in water pipes for homes and businesses. Drinking water is seldom sampled in our homes immediately after frequent water hammers, i.e., the samples are random and lead or copper increases are missed.
Even so, high lead levels are sometimes found immediately after partial replacements of lead and copper water mains. The U.S government presently replaces water mains all the way into homes, but for a number of years water mains were only replaced up to a home owner's property line.
This partial replacement caused high lead levels due to water hammers when water mains were re-pressurized ("Our Water Mains Contaminate Us With E. coli, Lead and Copper - Illness and Death Follow"). When such spikes in lead concentration were measured, construction work was irresponsibly blamed.
Stop the Illnesses
Effective evaluations are mandatory to determine the source of disease outbreaks or water contaminations.
After a water pressure drop and infectious disease outbreak, conditions determine whether or not diseased water is provided to customers. These conditions include the time of a low pressure in underground piping, and the level of infectious disease in the soil surrounding a cracked water main, By the time that an investigation is performed, the infected water has typically been flushed out of the water main of concern.
For contaminations by lead and copper poisoning or contaminations by other chemicals, water tests hours after a water hammer contaminates a home's drinking water provides erroneous test results. Such results falsely claim that detrimental chemical levels are lower than chemical levels at other times.
When there are illnesses due to water contamination or disease, the conditions for that contamination must be later reproduced to find the contamination source. Otherwise, lives will continue to be lost. Such conditions have never been reproduced in any CDC or FDA investigation. The CDC, the FDA, and the EPA fail to protect our lives.
"Water-Main Breaks In Mississippi And Across [the] U.S. Can Be Stopped" (click here). As water main breaks are reduced, infectious diseases and poisonous contaminations will be reduced.
Addendum (2/3/2023)
The following message was sent to the FDA, CDC, and EPA after publication of this Op Ed.
Stop E. coli, Listeria, Lead, and Copper Health Hazards
Heath investigations are improperly performed for lead poisonings, copper poisonings, other poisonings, E. coli infections, and Listeria infections. These health hazards can be reduced. See "The CDC Should Stop Drinking-Water Dangers - Stop E. Coli and Listeria Disease Outbreaks and Lead and Copper Poisonings!"
The CDC responded to this email. The CDC stated that:
CDC Info; Topic Stop E. coli, Listeria, Lead, and Copper Health Hazards; [CDC-2777921-Z5N5G8] CRM:08202014
"Thank you for your inquiry to CDC-INFO. To provide the best response to your inquiry, would you please elaborate further on your question. What health concerns do you have? Are you trying to report a public health concern? This information will help us respond to your inquiry.".
I responded that:
Re: CDC Info; Topic Stop E. coli, Listeria, Lead, and Copper Health Hazards; [CDC-2777921-Z5N5G8] CRM:08202014
"I am reporting a public health concern with respect to infectious diseases and chemical contaminations in the US water supply.
[This] article and supporting references explain the problem in detail (Click Here). However, more concise and updated explanations of the problems follow.
E. coli, Listeria and chemical infections of drinking water.
Water hammers crack water mains all over our country. When water pumps are shutdown or water mains are otherwise depressurized, E. coli and Listeria can enter the water mains. When the mains are re-pressurized, infections are transmitted to water users, and infected water can infect food products or single users who drink the infected water. When the FDA or CDC later perform investigations of food contaminations, the infected water is already flushed out of the water mains, and the infections are not found. To find the source of infections, water supply conditions at the time of the infection need to be reproduced.
Let me provide a few words to clarify these statements with respect to E. coli and Listeria. Where E.coli and Listeria are located underground, cracks in water mains are present, and low pressures temporarily exist, E. coli or Listeria swim into the water main. Chlorine will kill infections until the chlorine is neutralized, similar to the neutralization of chlorine when Legionnaire's disease [Legionella, Fig. 3] overcomes chlorine effectiveness. Note that Legionnaire's Disease - [an aerosol lung infection] - can also be transmitted into water mains through cracks. [Also note that Legionella show up at shower heads and faucets, where the water is chlorinated to kill Legionella at treatment plants ("Leginoella, How It Spreads and People at Increased Risk", .cdc.gov/legionella/about/causes-transmission.html). Legionella enters cracked water mans to infect homes and businesses].
Once chlorine is neutralized in a section of water main, that pipe then loads with infectious disease. The pathway for disease is therefore primed. When the water main is re-pressurized, contaminated water is sprayed onto crops or into drinking glasses. As water flushes through the main, freshly chlorinated water from upstream piping fills the contaminated water main, and the evidence of infected water is washed away.
Perchloroetyhylene contamination of drinking water.
Note that perchloroethylene in soil that surrounds water mains commonly infects drinking water (Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) - US EPA, click here). Perchloroethylene - [a carcinogen] - is a dry cleaning chemical that has been found both in the ground near dry cleaning businesses and in drinking water supplies. As one path to contaminate drinking water, there are cracks in water mains that permit chemicals and infections to migrate into the drinking water supply through the cracked walls of the water mains.
Similarly, E. coli and Listeria are transmitted into drinking water through cracked water mains - however - chlorine in the drinking water must be overcome by infections during an extended period of time at low pressure. The difference between these two transmission paths is that perchloroethylene is never neutralized by chlorine. E. coli and Listeria infected waters are often neutralized in the water main, where higher chlorine levels kill infections.
Lead and copper poisonings.
Water hammers crack lead and copper to accelerate solution of metals into drinking water through accelerated corrosion, and water hammers dislodge lead coverings as well. Water samples for lead and copper should be performed immediately after water hammers occur in water mains. For example, water samples should be collected after power outages.
Stop water main breaks.
Minimizing water hammers will minimize cracks in water mains, which in turn will minimize infections and chemicals in our drinking water."
Government refusals to prevent fatalities and illnesses represent a monumental and callous disregard for the losses of our lives. Perhaps this CDC email will start work to save lives, perhaps not. Earlier emails were disregarded. The FDA and EPA did not respond to this message.
(Article changed on Feb 05, 2023 at 12:16 AM EST)
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