Little monsters aren’t Trick-or-Treating – they’re microbes you may find in your Spring Grove well water

These little monsters are kind of cute but you wouldn't like
the microscopic monsters you might find in your Spring
Grove well water.

It’s almost Halloween and check out these little monsters. The monsters? No, these aren’t the adorable little monsters you’re accustomed to Trick-or-Treating at your Spring Grove door. One looks like a hairy jelly bean – no eyes, ears or mouth but it does have tendrils dangling from its bottom. Some look like short gummy worms. Some look like ameba and others like funky squid. What they all have in common is that they’re really, really small – microscopic, in fact, and, Oh, you’re liable to find these little monsters in your well water.

Actually, you won’t find them unless you take the time to look. And, keep in mind, these microbes are so small that there’s no way you can look at your water and see them. Don’t bother filling a glass and holding it up to the light; you still won’t see them. These are bacteria and other types of microorganisms that you may be drinking when you drink your well water.

The short gummy worms are Coliform Bacteria, or they could be Fecal Coliform Bacteria. The prior is naturally present in the environment and, by themselves, are not dangerous. But, many of the others, including Fecal Coliform Bacteria, are distinctly not good to consume. The level of Coliform Bacteria, that good bacteria, can help to indicate the presence of other microorganisms you’d rather not find in your Spring Grove well water.

It’s not hard to figure out where the Fecal Coliform Bacteria come from. The answer is in their name and there’s nothing pleasant about that, including the results if you drink water with Fecal Coliform Bacteria in it, as is the case with the hairy jelly beans (E. Coli Bacteria). Digestive problems are all but assured. In the worst cases, drinking water laced with Fecal Coliform Bacteria or E. Coli Bacteria can be fatal.

The ameba- and funky-squid-like microbes are protozoa, a pathogenic organism that can cause typhoid, dysentery, cholera and other types of gastroenteritis. Other pathogenic organisms that you may find in well water are viruses.

Viruses, viewed at a microscopic level, can look like spiders, spores, balls of broccoli and others like ribbed gummy worms. Some are like long worms and some look like castanets. Whatever they look like, they’re very bad in your stomach. These little buggers are trouble in your stomach.

All this talk about monster microbes is frightening. But, you don’t have to worry, just as long as you’ve had your Spring Grove well water tested and chlorinated. Do that, and you’ll keep the monsters away – at least you’ll keep the bad, little monsters away. The only little monsters you’ll have to worry about are those coming to your door for candy.