Everything about drinking water changed after my lung transplant

Water is essential to life. As UC Davis Health notes, it’s “vital to our health. It plays a key role in many of our body’s functions, including bringing nutrients to cells, getting rid of wastes, protecting joints and organs, and maintaining body temperature.”

However, the source of the water we drink is critical, especially for post-transplant patients. Some pre-transplant idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients and all post-transplant patients are immunosuppressed. When I received my bilateral lung transplant in July 2021, I began a medication regimen that suppresses my immune system. I will take these medications for the rest of my life.

When I was diagnosed with IPF in January 2017, I was living in the Virginia suburbs just outside Washington, D.C. The water was from a municipal water source that continually monitored its quality. When I left the workforce later that year, our retirement home became our full-time residence. It draws water from a well on the property. Well water, unlike municipal water, is not subject to continuous monitoring. Any test of it only provides its quality as a snapshot in time.

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Testing the waters

Once my wife, Susan, and I understood the potential issues with well water, we began to develop a plan. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a good source for well water safety information.

For starters, we had the water tested. To validate the results, we elected to use two different organizations, one of which was the Virginia Cooperative Extension, which offers well water testing annually. As part of this, I had to collect samples and return them for analysis. The second test was conducted by a commercial provider who collected the samples and sent them to a laboratory to be analyzed. The results were consistent.

Our testing the first year indicated low levels of the bacteria coliform and E. coli. Because of this, we elected to shock our well, a process that introduces high levels of chlorine or bleach to kill any bacteria that’s present.

We also set up home delivery of bottled spring water. Regardless of the brand you select, it’s important to understand what is in the bottle. The water quality should be tested and verified on an ongoing basis. This is often presented in a report that describes the process for preparing the water for delivery and what was “found” in the water during analysis.

Tap water from a municipal water supply in the U.S. is generally viewed as safe. In the event a boil water alert is issued, the water used by an immunocompromised individual should be boiled until the controlling agency lifts the alert. We had a multistage filtration system installed for the well water years before my diagnosis, but it still presents a risk to me if I consume it. I can use it for bathing, but if I cook with it, it should be boiled for several minutes.

It’s important to know the quality of the water you are consuming during your journey. Sharing my experience about the water I use is another way I can make every breath count.

Note: Pulmonary Fibrosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Fibrosis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary fibrosis.