18 March 2014

When your water is contaminated

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Every year 300.000 Europeans are falling ill because of contaminated drinking water. A new high-speed test is being developed to identify the contamination of drinking water much faster than today and thus reduce the number of victims considerably.

Statistically, drinking water in Europe is the safest in the world. But according to the World Health Organisation every year more than 300.000 Europeans are falling ill due to contaminated tab water. E.Coli and the norovirus are two of the microbes which can cause severe gastrointestinal diseases and which can be distributed with the water supply lines.

Thirteen research groups across Europe have now joint forces in the EU-funded project AQUAVALENS to develop a high-speed test for drinking water and thus make water monitoring more effective.

Usually the analysis of the water takes several days, but with the new technique the lab work could be done within a day. And the earlier scientists and authorities know about the cause of the problem, the faster they can stop the contamination.

