Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium is a microscopic organism found in most untreated surface water. Cryptosporidiosis, the illness associated with this pathogen, may cause severe diarrhea, which poses a serious health risk to individuals with severely suppressed immune systems.
Laboratory staff test for Cryptosporidium in both untreated and treated water. Although it is occasionally found in the untreated water, technicians take all available measures to remove it during the treatment process.
One of the most effective safeguards against Cryptosporidium is ozonation, a water treatment process that uses ozone to eliminate biological organisms. The Southern Nevada Water Authority's Alfred Merritt Smith Water and River Mountains water treatment facilities, which treat the majority of our water supply, incorporate ozonation into their treatment processes.
How to prevent cryptosporidiosis:
- Avoid water or food that may be contaminated
- Wash hands after using the toilet and before handling food
- Wash hands after changing diapers
For more information, see the EPA's page on Cryptosporidium for immunocompromised individuals.