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NATIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF RECREATIONAL WATER STUDY
Citation:
Dufour, A P., R L. Calderon, M. Beach, T. J. Wade, AND E A. Sams. NATIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF RECREATIONAL WATER STUDY. Presented at The Annual Meeting of the Great Lakes Beach Association, Muskegon, MI, October 21-22, 2003.
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, "we 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 National Epidemiologic and Environmental Assessment of Recreational (NEEAR) Water Study is a 5-year research project that will document human health effects associated with recreational water use. Data collected from this study will be useful in identifying new water quality indicators and rapid methods for measuring water quality.
The NEEAR Water Study is a prospective cohort study that will include 9-11 marine and freshwater beaches in the nation. Approximately 5000-8000 persons from each beach will be surveyed to determine swimming exposure and risk factors for illness. Follow-up interviews at one and then two weeks 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 quantitative PCR and optical fiber/fluoroimmunoassay technology. The latter two tests 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. Water quality guidelines will be developed from the data showing the best relationship between swimmer health effects and water quality measurements.