Watering of the garden with cistern water

Question

We have moved to a developing area, where the acquirement of a rain water cistern is an obligation. As a consequence, many neighbours use the water for the garden (Sprinkler, garden hose) and for the high-pressure water blaster.
The water jet does often reach the street and is easy to see there (the asphalt is getting dark). Is it sufficient to stay away from this area or are the drops transported further, so that there is a danger for me (35 years old, CF)? And what about in case my children (CF negative) had contact to such water – do I have to wait until they are dry again before I touch them?

Answer

Hello,
Generally, one has to assume that the water from the rainwater cistern is colonized with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Therefore there is a risk of infection, when you would have direct contact to the water or to the aerosol of the water. This could be the case if you would go into the jet of the sprinkler or the high-pressure water blaster or when your child has been in contact with the water and the hands did not dry for a longer time afterwards or have not been disinfected.
In case you are already colonized with P. aeruginosa, then you should avoid in any case to be near the above mentioned aerosol as it might be the source of other germs, too, and the risk of transmission is given via that route. The risk of getting a “non-Pseudomonas bacterium” via your kids hands would be negligible then as it is in general a very unlikely way of transmission.

Yours sincerely,
H.-G. Posselt

24.11.2008