Bird Flu and Roof Water Tanks

[Cenfus]

Is there an increased risk of bird flu's being passed to humans where water is stored in the loft?

Here's where I've seen the potential problem written up:

Any thoughts?

[Set Square]

I suppose it may increase the risk - in probablility terms of 1 in a billion or thereabouts!

I guess that most of us have more important things to worry about - especially if we never drink the water from the cold tank.

The compiler of the site referenced is clearly waging a campaign against Dolphin - and would like to blame them for *all* the ills of the world.

[John Rumm]

Not convinced his assertion that the placement of the FCU beneath the bath is illegal is correct either (stupid place to put it - agreed). If the space under the bath is only accessible by removing six screws then it would count as being outside of all the zones including 3 (were it would be allowed anyway).

[Nigel Molesworth]

Water tanks are supposed to be sealed against birds, but to put this into perspective: most water comes from reservoirs, which also attract a large number of birds.

Just watch out for that bus.

[Dave Fawthrop]

| On 31 Oct 2005 02:13:17 -0800, Cenfus wrote: | | >Is there an increased risk of bird flu's being passed to humans where | >water is stored in the loft? | | Water tanks are supposed to be sealed against birds, but to put this | into perspective: most water comes from reservoirs, which also attract | a large number of birds.

But the water is then treated to bring it within potability standards at and your kitchen tap on the rising main.

[doozer]

It's not mutated into a form that can readily infect humans yet in Asia or otherwise. The people that have died of bird flu in Asia died of bird flu. They worked, and in some cases lived, with the birds they caught it from. They were all massivly exposed to the disease for a prolonged period of time. Cross species infections like this aren't common but they occur with a wide range of diseases.

At the moment, while bird flu is not directly infectious to humans, your chance of catching it is so insignificantly tiny it's not worth worrying about. Your much more likely to get hit by a speeding bus.

Of course, should it mutate so that it is infectious to humans then we have a problem but there isn't much we can do to stop that happening. We might be able to stall it for a year or two with culls and vacinations againts regular flu (so that bird flu can't learn any tricks from regular human flu in someone with an already compromised immune system). Stopping it is impossible though. Best hope that tamiflu is all they claim it is.

Graham

[John Cartmell]

But they have now found that the 1918/19 outbreak was a direct mutation from bird flu rather than a combination with human flu as previously thought. :-(

It could be stopped by targetting all the world's anti-flu resources in the area where it initially breaks out (prob. SE Asia) rather than wasting resources in the USA and Europe.

OK. You're right. Stopping it is impossible.

Which will only slow it down/reduce symptoms.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Why would you want to drink hot water? ;-)

Be interested to see some real figures - efficiency wise - about filling an electric kettle from a combi before boiling for a cup of tea, etc.

[Dave Fawthrop]

| In article , | Dave Fawthrop wrote: | > Alternatively use a combi boilers, which produces potable hot water, | > because it does not store the water. I have that on the word of an | > Environmental Health Officer | | Why would you want to drink hot water? ;-)

Tea, coffee, use it in cooking. At the Curry Project we fill a 3kw, 15 l, urn with hot water from a combi, which just under halves the boiling time.

| Be interested to see some real figures - efficiency wise - about filling | an electric kettle from a combi before boiling for a cup of tea, etc.

As we use a 3kw 1.7l electric kettle, at home, it would make little difference.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Right. Not quite sure the relevance to this group? But if you're talking about a still, isn't it heated by gas anyway?

Indeed.

[bland]

It seems to cut down on limescale in the kettle. Most of it must be left in the hot water tank in my case.

bland

[Dave Plowman (News)]

But scale in a combi is likely to cost rather more to fix?

Not quite sure what you mean?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Think of Bird Flu like the Millenium Bug.

A way to get a load of needful things done, but not for that reason..

If and when it migrates/mutates to a human to human contagious disease, start worrying...

[The Natural Philosopher]

But are followed by a lot of filters and chlorine treatment..fr that very reason.

I remember as kid we used to drink from te no mains CW tapos.

One day they all ran reddish brown.

The plumber removed te dead crow from tethe tank...we ran the taps for an hour.

We didn't get ill then or later.

Most of these scares are just - scares.

If the real thing happens, they will tell you to stay indoors not to panic, take to aspirin...and its only as you cough your lungs out that you will realise that political concerns always overrride the truth. Right bow there's political mileage and money to be made out of a scare. If it hits, just stay inside and pray...

[The Natural Philosopher]

Because its is soothig in an upset stomach.

When ever I have gastric flu, its hot water that goes in...and comes out again pretty rapidly..

[Dave Fawthrop]

| > Why would you want to drink hot water? ;-) | >

| > Be interested to see some real figures - efficiency wise - about filling | > an electric kettle from a combi before boiling for a cup of tea, etc. | | It seems to cut down on limescale in the kettle. Most of it must be left in | the hot water tank in my case.

Being blessed with soft water, we do lot lave lime scale. They have only just got rid of the peat in our water.

[Aidan]

That sounds more plausible that my theory. My theory has been updated accordingly.

I thought I knew little about it, but judging from the original post and the recent "cook eggs and poultry" tabloid scaremongering, ignorance is contagious. Headless chickens come to mind.

Fingers crossed.