North Dakota: Beware Of This Smell In Your Water

There are a million ways you can get sick, but I'm willing to bet this is one way you've never considered.

Legionnaire's 

Legionnaire's isn't very common. To be honest, it's actually very rare but not impossible to get.

If you're wondering, Legionnaire's is a disease. It is a type of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria. According to MayoClinic.org, a person can catch this disease when they breathe in droplets of water that contain bacteria.

When this happens, a person's lungs get inflamed and you get something called Pontiac fever. No, this isn't a strong desire to buy that brand of car; its symptoms are similar to the flu.

According to the source, this usually clears up on its own, but for people with compromised immune systems, it can be fatal. It can also be treated with antibiotics.

North Dakota

According to KFYR TV, in 2018 ten people were reported to have Legionnaire's. In 2019 it was only two.

What The Smell?

So, what is the smell you should be aware of? According to the Buster's Group, water that contains legionella bacteria has a musty, rotten egg smell. The source says the bacteria typically forms in stagnant water.

FYI: Landlords are typically required to test for legionella every two years.

The More You Know

Again, this is a very rare thing to get, but I always think it's important to know these things. Just because your water has the smell doesn't mean the bacteria is in it, but it's always better to be aware of these things in case you feel something is off.

Thanks for reading! TTFN.