Are experiencing stomach pain just after drinking tap water? then let us tell you that you are not the only one who is facing this issue. Instead, feeling stomach pain after consuming tap water has become a concern for people in most parts of the world, especially in the United States.
That’s why, our team decided to come up with a detailed blog post regarding this issue. In this article, we are going to explain the reasons why you are feeling stomach pain after drinking regular water. Not just this, we will be also discussing some possible health concerns related to this issue, as well as possible solutions.
Also, read our blog about Can Someone Be Allergic to Tap Water?
Why Stomach Hurts After Tap Water?
The answer is quite simple, tap water all over the world is usually found polluted with numerous toxic contaminants and impurities. These impurities and contaminants are the real culprits behind stomach pain and other serious health issues.
Some of the most common contaminants in tap water that can cause stomach pain are:
Bacteria, Viruses, & Parasites:
Tap water contains bacteria, viruses, and parasites such as E-coli, Giardia, and norovirus. These can lead to gastrointestinal distress upon ingestion. Do you know? all these enter into the tap water through sewage leakage, agricultural runoff, etc.
Chemicals:
Certain chemicals such as lead, arsenic, etc are usually found in tap water and can also contribute to stomach pain. Lead and arsenic mostly get their way into tap water through old plumbing or through inadequate industrial activities.
Chlorine & Other Additives:
Some individuals out there reading may have a sensitivity to chlorine or other additives that are used by water treatment authorities to purify tap water. So, if those individuals will consume chlorine or other additives-affected water, they will be more likely to experience stomach pain.
Overall, the main reason behind your stomach pain after drinking tap water is the presence of toxic contaminants.
Tap Water Contaminants Negative Effects on the Digestive System That Results in Stomach Pain
Below we have discussed multiple negative health impacts of tap water contaminants on the digestive system. By getting yourself familiar with these, you can efficiently identify the main cause of stomach pain.
Severe irritation & inflammation: Contaminants and impurities present in tap water can directly affect the stomach and essential intestines of the human body. This can then lead to serious irritation and inflammation.
Gastrointestinal Distress: When you drink contaminated tap water on a regular basis, it can also cause a number of gastrointestinal problems. The common symptoms usually include bloating, vomiting, gas, and general discomfort in the tummy.
So, by efficiently recognizing the negative impacts of tap water contaminants, it will become a lot easier for you to find the root cause of stomach pain.
Necessary Steps You Can Take to Treat Tap Water on Your Own
In order to make your tap water completely clean and safe for drinking and other consumption purposes, then consider taking any of the steps discussed below.
1. Install a Water Filtration System:
The most easy yet effective step that you can take in order to efficiently treat tap water is to make it totally free from a wide range of contaminants. There are numerous home filtration systems available on the market. The popular types for homes include reverse osmosis and undersink.
Reverse osmosis home systems use a special layer to efficiently catch the smallest impurities and contaminants from the water that is passing through it. The water these will provide will not only be safe but also have a better taste and odor. Obviously, when you consume this sort, you will not experience pain in your stomach, leading to maximum comfort.
On the other hand, under-sink filters are compact ones that are installed beneath the sink in the kitchen. These also effectively remove numerous impurities and contaminants.
So, install and use any of these filtration systems to your home’s tap water on your own.
2. Distillation:
Distillation is basically a process that involves first boiling the tap water until it takes the form of steam. And then turning the produced steam back in the form of water. Doing all this will efficiently eliminate a number of hazardous impurities such as minerals, bacteria, chemicals, and microorganisms.
However, it is important that distillation is a quite time-consuming process for treating contaminated tap water.
3. Using Iodine Tablets or Liquid Drops:
This is yet another excellent step that you can take to make your tap water clean and safe. You can add iodine tablets or liquid drops to the water in order to perfectly disinfect it. And do you know? iodine is highly effective at killing bacteria, viruses, and many other contaminants.
However, while adding iodine tablets or drops, it is highly crucial to follow the correct dosage requirements. This is because excessive addition and consumption of iodine through water can also result in a number of health issues.
4. Reporting Tap Water Quality Concerns to the Local Authorities:
Finally, if your home’s tap water is contaminated, then you can approach the local water authorities and show off your concern regarding tap water quality. The authorities will then run investigations and take necessary steps in order to your area's tap water quality issues.
So, these are some of the most important steps that you can take in order to treat or fix tap water quality on your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
What could be in tap water that causes stomach pain?
Tap water potentially contains a number of contaminants and impurities such as bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and many more. Consumption of these can result in pain stomach or intestines.
What should I do if I experience stomach pain after consuming tap water?
You should immediately stop drinking it, and consider opting for other types of water such as bottled water, filtered water, etc.
Final Words
Feeling pain in the stomach after consuming tap water is becoming a common issue among people. It is all because of impurities and contaminants that regular tap water contains. In this blog post, we have explained some health concerns related to this issue as well as some necessary steps that you can consider taking in order to prevent or avoid stomach pain.