Most people assume floodwater is just water. It isn't.
When floodwater rises, it picks up everything in its path — sewage, agricultural runoff, industrial chemicals, dead animals, fuel, and soil. By the time it reaches your street, it is a toxic soup of pathogens that can cause serious illness if consumed, or even if it contacts open wounds.
But here's what catches people off guard: it's not just the floodwater itself that's the problem. It's what the flood does to your normal water supply.
Floods can overwhelm water treatment plants, knock out pumping stations, and force contaminated water into distribution pipes. This is why councils issue boil water notices during and after flood events — because even your tap water may no longer be safe to drink.
Boiling water kills bacteria and viruses, but it doesn't remove sediment, chemical contamination, or microplastics. And it requires power or fuel — both of which are often unavailable during a flood event.
The bacteria most commonly found in floodwater include E. coli, Salmonella, Leptospira, and Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is particularly dangerous because it is resistant to standard chlorine treatment. It causes severe gastrointestinal illness and is especially dangerous for children, the elderly, and anyone with a compromised immune system.
The ClearX Pro™ uses a 0.1 micron hollow-fibre membrane to physically remove bacteria, parasites, and microplastics from any freshwater source. At that pore size, Cryptosporidium — which measures around 4–6 microns — cannot pass through. Neither can Giardia, E. coli, or Salmonella.
If you live in a flood-prone area — and in Australia, that's most of us — having a personal filtration device is not a luxury. It's basic preparedness.