Elmer Spilchen, Public Health Inspector, Grande Prairie, Alberta
In 1989, the South Peace Health Unit located in Grande Prairie, Alberta conducted a survey of bacteria levels found in farm dugouts. Health Unit staff reviewed the results of bacteriological analyses conducted on dugout water samples submitted from the late 1960ıs to 1989. These results are shown below:
Containing Bacteria |
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|---|---|---|
| Total Water Samples Tested | |
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| *majority of these samples also had total coliform counts | ||
These results clearly indicate that at some point in time a high percentage of dugouts (if not all dugouts) are exposed to bacteria contamination. The presence of coliform bacteria in 55.2% of dugout water samples submitted, indicates a potential problem. This bacteria is used to identify the possible presence of disease-causing organisms in water. In most cases, the bacteria contamination is due to surface water runoff or animals entering the dugout. Unfortunately with farm dugouts, contamination may occur at anytime throughout the year.
Water is one of the most common vehicles involved in the transmission of disease-causing micro-organisms. The nature of water allows it to support growth and carry bacteria to humans very easily. Some of the more common diseases associated with surface water:
These survey results help substantiate the Health Unitsı policy that all users of surface water supplies, such as dugouts, need to treat their water for drinking and cooking purposes. It is recommended that a continuous water treatment system which is capable of both disinfection and filtration be installed.