Why Does My Stomach Hurt After Drinking Water?

One of the most serious pollutants that can cause stomach pain is lead. While the dangers of lead poisoning are now well known, people were largely ignorant of them back when city water infrastructures were first built. Thus, major cities like Chicago used lead pipes for their waterlines. This practice resulted in large-scale contamination as lead from the pipes leached into the water as it flowed through them.

While we have since come to our senses and realized this was a mistake, lead contamination remains a major problem today. In our local Chicago region, 80% of properties still get their water through old lead pipes. The government has been slow to fix this problem, and even some efforts to fix it, like partial lead service line replacements, have only made the problem worse.

Arsenic is a naturally occurring contaminant known to cause stomach pain and other issues when consumed in large amounts. The toxin can also infiltrate the water via pollution from industrial or agricultural processes.

Many regions of the country, including Northern Illinois, frequently encounter high levels of arsenic in their water. This is reason for concern since the World Health Organization classifies it as a carcinogen. So, it’s important to get your water tested and take proper precautions if you’re concerned arsenic is making you sick.

Coliform is a type of bacteria often found in well water. These bacteria live in plants, soil and the gastrointestinal tract of animals. Coliform in well water can come from many different sources, such as waste disposal, cross-contamination from sewage plants or leaking well caps.

Coliforms may not always give you gastrointestinal illnesses, though. If you have been consuming them in small amounts over time, you may have built up an immunity to them. However, the presence of large quantities in water could indicate that harmful pathogenic microbes are also present.

This microscopic parasite is the leading cause of waterborne illnesses in the United States. It is protected by an outer shell, which allows it to survive for a long time outside of a host. The exterior is even tough enough to survive chlorine disinfection.

Cryptosporidia often get into drinking water when the water mixes with human or animal fecal matter. Consuming contaminated water can cause cryptosporidiosis, a gastrointestinal illness with diarrhea, stomach pains and fever. These symptoms can begin 2-10 days after consumption.

The body contains many harmless strains of bacteria that are like E. coli. What makes E. coli especially dangerous is that it generates a potent toxin, which can make you very sick. Some rare strains of E. coli, such as the strain 0157:H7 are particularly harmful. Recent outbreaks of disease caused by E. coli 0157:H7 have generated much public concern about this organism.

There are many ways this type of bacteria can infiltrate local water supplies, including sewage leaks and farm runoff. It has been found in cattle, chickens, pigs, and sheep. Most of the reported human cases have been due to eating under cooked hamburger. E. coli also gets into homes with private well water since the water receives no municipal treatment before reaching the tap.

Giardia is a parasite known to take up residence within the small intestine of humans and other animals. When this happens, it results in a gastrointestinal illness called giardiasis. Some common symptoms of drinking bad water containing giardia include fatigue, weight loss, stomach cramps, vomiting and headaches.

This parasite often lives in fecal matter. So, the most commons sources of contamination in drinking water include animal feces, improperly disposed diapers and runoff from nearby farms.

You have probably heard of Salmonella because of how frequently it causes food-related illnesses in the United States. However, the harmful bacteria can also infiltrate drinking water when it encounters human or animal feces.

Salmonella frequently gets into private wells through sewage overflows and stormwater runoff. Storms and flooding can also make wells even more vulnerable to Salmonella contamination.

Shigella is another strain of bacteria that lives in feces. It typically infiltrates drinking water through sewage contamination or flooding and can cause bloody diarrhea, fever and stomach pain. These symptoms usually start 1-2 days after consumption and can last a week or more.