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WATERBORNE PATHOGENS IN URBAN WATERSHEDS
Citation:
ARNONE, R. AND JOYCE P. WALLING. WATERBORNE PATHOGENS IN URBAN WATERSHEDS. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH. IWA Publishing, London, Uk, 5(1):149-162, (2007).
Description:
Pathogens are microorganisms that can cause sickness or even death. A serious concern for managers of water resources, pathogens in the urban environment easily enter waters through a number of pathways, including discharge of inadequately treated sewage, stormwater runoff, combined sewer overflows, and sanitary sewer overflows. Pathogens in U.S. ambient water bodies are regulated under the Clean Water Act (CWA), while pathogens in drinking water supplies are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), are developed in accordance with CWA regulations for ambient water bodies with bacterial concentrations exceeding the water quality standard, which generally is a measure of a bacterial indicator organism. If a use impairment would still exist even after the water body is in compliance with the standard, developing a TMDL for a supplementary indicator or pathogen would be required. A number of epidemiological studies support the use of E. coli and Enterococcus as better indicators of fecal contamination than total or fecal coliform. This document is a literature review that summarizes information associated with developing a pathogen TMDL in urban environments: pathogen sources, health effects of waterborne pathogens, relevant water quality legislation, and an evaluation of pathogen indicators.