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Characterizing public health and microbial risks due to water contaminants
Impact/Purpose:
Drinking Water MYP
Description:
This research track evaluates risks associated with the occurrence of waterborne disease in the population. A clear understanding of the health burden associated with exposure to contaminated drinking water is critical to developing regulations that are protective of public health. This research track also seeks to demonstrate the health benefits of drinking water regulations. Research in this area applies traditional and novel tools to study and quantify these diseases such as immunoassays, clinical reports, panel (cohort) studies, survey data and hospital records in combination with epidemiological studies to better understand these health risks. The primary focus of this effort is on gastrointestinal diseases both endemic illnesses and epidemic illness, but and includes the evaluation and characterization of microbial risks associated with select microbes included in the CCL. The Office of Water regulates microbes in both drinking water and recreational waters that are responsible for these illnesses. This track proposes projects that evaluate the occurrence of these diseases and proposes methods that may lead to identification of specific etiologies. In addition, projects may be used by the Office of Water to evaluate the impact of their regulations.