Why you don’t (usually) have to worry about viruses in water

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to drink untreated water to survive, you'll want to take steps to treat it properly to avoid getting sick. Wild water can contain harmful bacteria and protozoa like Giardia and Cryptosporidium, which can make you extremely ill when you least expect it. However, many survival experts and companies selling water treatment products often downplay the importance of worrying about viruses in water, especially in places like the U.S. and Canada. For instance: - Adrienne Donica in *Popular Mechanics* stated, “Water-borne viruses aren’t a threat in the U.S., Canada, parts of Europe, and Australia, so a filter is just fine.” - Cliff Jacobson in *Scouting Magazine* mentioned, “Fortunately, harmful viruses are extremely rare in surface waters.” - Sawyer's pamphlet *What Hikers & Campers Need to Know* noted, “Viruses are not commonly transmitted in water.” We’ve repeated this advice in our water essentials video course and in reviews of portable water filters. But why exactly do experts and marketers suggest you don’t need to worry about viruses in developed countries? After all, viruses are biological agents just like bacteria that can make people sick. To sum it up: - Most waterborne viruses capable of harming you come from human feces. Avoiding areas where water mixes with human waste can help mitigate the risks. - Developed regions like the U.S. and Canada have advanced sanitation systems that generally prevent fecal matter from contaminating water sources. This is not always the case in less developed areas, where waterborne virus issues are more common. - If there aren't many people around, it's unlikely a virus will be present in the water and even if it is, it’s less likely to persist without enough hosts to spread. - Experts and marketers argue that if you're near civilization, proper sanitation systems are likely in place, and if you're in the wilderness, there's not enough human density to create a significant problem. - That could change in a disaster, like urban flooding after a hurricane, where wastewater can mix with water supplies, or in crowded situations with poor hygiene, like refugee camps. - Interestingly, research suggests that high temperatures actually reduce viral activity, with viruses thriving better in colder conditions. **Waterborne Viruses to Be Aware Of** There are various viruses that can thrive in freshwater. The World Health Organization highlights six main types: - Adenovirus - Astrovirus - Hepatitis A and E - Rotavirus - Norovirus and other caliciviruses - Enteroviruses like coxsackieviruses and polioviruses Most of these cause diarrhea, with rotavirus being a major cause of severe diarrhea in young children globally. Noroviruses are also a primary cause of foodborne illness, while hepatitis and polio can be particularly dangerous, causing liver damage and paralysis, respectively. Although polio has been nearly eradicated in developed regions, it remains a challenge in developing areas. **Why First-World Areas Usually Don’t Have Viruses in Water** A study on waterborne disease outbreaks in the U.S. from 2009 to 2010 found that most were due to bacteria, specifically Legionella, which causes Legionnaires' disease. Bacteria accounted for 76% of waterborne illnesses during that time, compared to only 6% caused by viruses. There’s a distinction between the presence of a virus and whether it causes an outbreak. For example, the Minnesota Department of Health reported in 2014 that 30% of Minnesota’s drinking water wells contained viral contaminants, yet it didn’t lead to widespread issues. Viral outbreaks in American waters are rare enough that when they do happen, they make headlines, such as when rafters contracted norovirus from the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon every few years. So why do many experts say viruses aren’t a big concern when drinking untreated water? As Satre once said, “Hell is other people.” Viruses are usually species-specific, meaning they target certain hosts, like humans. If a water source doesn’t have much human contact, it’s less likely to harbor human-specific viruses. Fecal matter is the main way viruses enter water, making it crucial to keep your distance from water sources when relieving yourself. I spoke with Patrick Hurst from Sawyer Products for further insights. “It all depends on the type of water. If someone has hepatitis and does their business upstream from me, I’d have to drink raw, unfiltered sewage water to contract the virus. These viruses are very delicate,” he explained. Hurst continued, “Viruses need a host and are quite fragile, jumping from one host to another.” Even in developing regions with poor sanitation, viruses might not be as much of a concern as expected. “If I were heading to Central Africa, should I worry about viruses? Maybe, maybe not,” Hurst noted. Sawyer only warns about viruses in three areas: refugee camps in Afghanistan and Iraq, and certain African nations. Waterborne viruses are more problematic in less developed areas due to inadequate sanitation and higher population density around contaminated water sources. So, you should be cautious about heavily used waterways, like those near popular campsites. Conversely, developed nations rarely have viruses in their water primarily due to better sanitation practices. Remote areas, like those visited by campers and hikers, tend to have minimal human contact. **When You Should Worry** However, some water bodies in North America, like the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, are notorious for viral issues. A 2009 study in *Wilderness and Environmental Medicine* explained why the Grand Canyon is a hotspot for viruses: “Poor sanitation on trails, limited water supplies, and overcrowding may have contributed to the increased risk of norovirus among long-distance hikers.” In other words, the Colorado River shares similar challenges with water bodies in developing regions. Between 2003 and 2004, 22,000 people rafted on those waters annually. Poor sanitation practices among rafters led to illness, and sick individuals vomiting or defecating in the water worsened outbreaks. Even though the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon is highly problematic, outbreaks seem to occur every few years. While viruses aren’t currently a concern in developed nations, societal collapses could change this. Smaller-scale disruptions, like floods mixing water and sewage, can severely impact water supplies. Although you can’t visibly detect viruses in water, Hurst provided some warning signs: - Poor sanitation, like raw sewage entering a water body - Stagnant water, like ponds and lakes - Viral outbreaks in the area - People drinking from stagnant water, especially puddles These are indicators, but there’s no guarantee a water source is free of viruses even without these signs. I reached out to the CDC for comment but didn’t receive a response. **Viruses Seem to Do Better in Colder Waters** Viruses are also very temperature-sensitive, yet a common survival myth claims they thrive in heat and struggle in the cold. Scientific studies show the opposite. An *Intervirology* report titled “Survival of Viruses in Water” states: “Higher temperatures universally accelerate viral inactivation. At temperatures just above freezing, viruses may survive for extended periods, often longer than the study duration, and sometimes for several years.” The study provides numerous examples of viruses degrading at higher temperatures: - “Poliovirus, echovirus, and coxsackievirus populations in seawater decreased by 5 log units in less than a week at 37°C [98.6°F], whereas it took a year at 4°C [39.2°F] in lab settings.” - “In mineral water, poliovirus lost 1 log unit in 330 days at 4°C [39.2°F], while it took 60 days at 23°C [73.4°F].” - “Astrovirus in tap water reduced by 2 log units in 60 days at 4°C [39.2°F] and 30 days at 20°C [68°F].” - “Adenovirus in groundwater lost 1 log unit in 132 days at 4°C [39.2°F] and 36 days at 20°C [68°F].” Another study analyzing norovirus cases in England and Wales from 1993 to 2006 found that increases in norovirus were linked to cold, dry weather, low population immunity, and new genotypes. It also noted that for each 1°C rise in temperature over the previous 49 days, norovirus reports dropped by 15%. Temperature variations accounted for 60% of cases. Norovirus is particularly resilient, enduring low and high temperatures and resisting most disinfectants. However, the aforementioned Grand Canyon study noted that high temperatures can worsen viral symptoms: > Several factors exacerbate disease severity on the river. The rafters are frequently exposed to high heat during the rafting season, when temperatures in the canyon often exceed 100°F. High temperatures hasten dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea, increasing disease severity.

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