Citation:

DUFOUR, A. P. WATER QUALITY AND SWIMMING-ASSOCIATED HEALTH EFFECTS. Presented at University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, March 02, 2005.

Impact/Purpose:

The objectives of this research are: (1) to evaluate rapid state-of-the-art measuement methods of pathogens that may indicate the presence of fecal pollution in recreational waters (beaches); (2) to obtain, jointly with a sister laboratory (NHEERL), a new set of water quality data and related health effects data at a variety of beaches across the U.S., in both marine and non-marine waters; (3) to analyze the research data set to evaluate the utility of the tested measurement methods, the new EMPACT monitoring protocol, and the health effects data / questionnaire, in order to establish a relationship between measured pathogens and observed health effects; and (4) to communicate the results to the Office of Water in support of their efforts to develop new state and/or federal guidelines and limits for water quality indicators of fecal contamination, so that beach managers and public health officials can alert the public about the potential health hazards before exposure to unsafe water can occur.

Description:

Evidence from various sources around the world indicate that there is a relationship between gastroenteritis in swimmers and the quality of the bathing water as measured with bacterial indicators of fecal contamination. Current EPA guidelines recommend the use of cultural methods for E. coli and enterococci to measure beach water quality. These methods produce results in 24 hours creating the conundrum, Awe can tell you tomorrow, what you swam in today.@ This shortcoming in current practice for measuring beach water quality has led EPA to consider new technology and indicators that will provide rapid (2 hours or less) measurement of beach waters.

The EPA is currently conducting a multi-year research project to determine the relationship between swimming-associated health effects and water quality measured with methods that will provide results in 2 hours or less. This long-term study will include 9-11 marine and freshwater beaches in the United States. Approximately 5000-8000 persons from each beach will be surveyed to determine swimming exposure and risk factors for illness. Follow-up interviews conducted 10 to 12 days later will reveal illnesses possibly related to the beach visit. The water quality will be measured during the swimmer exposure using the currently recommended cultural method for enterococci as well as a quantitative PCR method. The latter test can produce results in 2 hours or less using enterococci and Bacteroides sp. as the analyte. The analysis will focus on water quality parameters and their association with increased prevalence of swimming-related health effects. Early results from the fresh water studies will be discussed with regard to the relationship between water quality, as measured with new rapid methods, and swimming-associated health effects.

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