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why is it unsafe to drink water from a creek?
Especially if it is running fast. Isn't that what most people did before the 20th century?
2 Answers
- JenKayLv 67 years ago
Creeks are contaminated with bacteria and the fecal matter of the animals that defecate in and around them. Boiling the water for 10 minutes or so will make it safe to drink.
People before the 20th century had half or less of the lifespans we enjoy now.
- Roger KLv 77 years ago
In addition to bacterial contamination, which is a real concern, you can also ingest parasites. They live in all kinds of water, even that which looks perfectly clean. This is a fairly common one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giardia
There is also the possibility of chemical contamination. There are many chemicals that you would never be able to detect without doing a water analysis.
