Sewage, Bacteria, and Unknown Contaminants from Sandy May Soon Pollute Water

Threats continue to plague the victims of Superstorm Sandy, this time from the floodwater, air, and the very food in their refrigerators.

According to New Jersey Department of Health’s state epidemiologist, Tina Tan, floodwaters can be a noxious brew. “[They] potentially could contain mixtures of a variety of chemicals such as pesticides, paint, gasoline…other things for example that you might store in your garage or basement that might actually get all flooded out.” Add bacteria like E. coli from sewage treatment plants to the toxic stew, and it’s no wonder public health officials are sounding the alarm.

Tan advises watching out for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms of gastrointestinal upset, which can be especially debilitating and even life-threatening for infants, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.

Victims have been instructed to stay away from water as much as possible and, when possible, to wear protective gear like goggles, gloves, and boots. “Wading through standing water can potentially put people at risk,” says NYU Langone Medical Center’s Dr. Joseph Rahimian. “We saw this in Katrina; people were wading through stagnant water and they developed infections from Vibrio [bacteria].”

New York City acquires its water from groundwater reservoirs which flow downhill to the city, requiring no electricity, but other areas are less fortunate. People must boil water before drinking.
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