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Health Effects Drinking water can become contaminated at the original water source, during treatment, or during distribution to the home. The levels of contaminants in drinking water are seldom high enough to cause acute health effects. Some of these effects are nausea, lung irritation, skin rash, vomiting, dizziness, and even death. Contaminants are more likely to cause chronic health effects. These are the effects that occur long after repeated exposure to the small amounts of a chemical. Chronic health effects include cancer, liver, and kidney damage, disorders of the nervous system, damage to the immune system, and birth defects. Contaminants There are four main groups of contaminants. These contaminants are microbial pathogens, organics, inorganics, and radioactive elements. Microbial pathogens are disease-producing microorganisms, which include bacteria, viruses, and parasites. The get into drinking water when the water source is contaminated by sew