The Water "Community"

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The Water "Community"The Water "Community"Tina Van HornTina Van HornEnvironmental Public Health SpecialistEnvironmental Public Health SpecialistMonroe County Health Dept.Monroe County Health Dept.

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Why is water important to Why is water important to the Community? the Community?

• Water is a finite Water is a finite resourceresource

• History has History has demonstrated that the demonstrated that the treatment and treatment and protection of water protection of water sources benefits the sources benefits the community by community by improving the health improving the health of the residentsof the residents

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• Sanskrit writings demonstrated that Sanskrit writings demonstrated that heating and filtering of water was heating and filtering of water was advocated as early as 4000 – 2000 B.C.advocated as early as 4000 – 2000 B.C.

• These efforts improved These efforts improved the aesthetic qualities the aesthetic qualities of taste, odor and appearanceof taste, odor and appearance

History of water treatmentHistory of water treatment

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Water treatment in the Water treatment in the 1700’s – early 1800’s1700’s – early 1800’s• Filtration became more Filtration became more

sophisticatedsophisticated• Sand was used as a means of Sand was used as a means of

filtration beginning in the early filtration beginning in the early 1800’s1800’s

• Still primarily focusing on the Still primarily focusing on the aesthetic qualitiesaesthetic qualities

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Water Treatment in the Water Treatment in the late 1800’slate 1800’s• Scientists gained a Scientists gained a

greater understanding of greater understanding of drinking water drinking water contaminantscontaminants

• NOT ALL CONTAMINANTS NOT ALL CONTAMINANTS ARE VISIBLEARE VISIBLE

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Water Treatment in the Water Treatment in the late 1800’slate 1800’s• In 1855 cholera was proven to be a In 1855 cholera was proven to be a

waterborne disease and was linked waterborne disease and was linked to a well in London that had been to a well in London that had been contaminated by sewagecontaminated by sewage

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Water Treatment in the Water Treatment in the late 1800’slate 1800’s• In 1880 Louis Pasteur In 1880 Louis Pasteur

demonstrated the “Germ Theory” demonstrated the “Germ Theory” of diseaseof disease

• Pasteur suggested that water was Pasteur suggested that water was a likely media for carrying germsa likely media for carrying germs

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Water Treatment in the Water Treatment in the 1900’s 1900’s • Efforts continued to improve Efforts continued to improve

filtrationfiltration• Sand filtration became a more Sand filtration became a more

common practicecommon practice• In 1908 chlorination was was used In 1908 chlorination was was used

for the first time to treat water in for the first time to treat water in Jersey City, NJJersey City, NJ

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Water Treatment in the Water Treatment in the 1900’s 1900’s

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Water Treatment in the Water Treatment in the 1900’s 1900’s • 1914 – First federal regulation of 1914 – First federal regulation of

drinking water when the US set drinking water when the US set public health standards for public health standards for bacteriological qualitybacteriological quality

• Water quality standards continued Water quality standards continued to change and be updated through to change and be updated through the end of the centurythe end of the century

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Water Treatment in the Water Treatment in the 1900’s 1900’s • Additional sources of pollution and Additional sources of pollution and

contamination were recognized and contamination were recognized and supported the need for even more supported the need for even more regulationregulation

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Water Treatment TodayWater Treatment Today• In the US, Americans In the US, Americans

consume over 3 ½ consume over 3 ½ billion gallons of billion gallons of treated water dailytreated water daily

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Water Treatment TodayWater Treatment Today• 98 % of treated water is chlorine treated98 % of treated water is chlorine treated

Chlorine Based 98%

Other 2%

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Water Treatment TodayWater Treatment Today• 90% of 90% of

Americans Americans receive their receive their water from water from community community water water systemssystems

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Water Treatment TodayWater Treatment Today in in Developing CountriesDeveloping Countries

• 1/3 of the world’s population lacks 1/3 of the world’s population lacks a safe water supplya safe water supply

• 2.9 billion people lack adequate 2.9 billion people lack adequate sanitation facilities, sewage is sanitation facilities, sewage is discharged to the surface or discharged to the surface or dumped into riversdumped into rivers

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Water Treatment TodayWater Treatment Today in in Developing CountriesDeveloping Countries

• 25,000 people die 25,000 people die each day from each day from waterborne diseasewaterborne disease

• Water-related Water-related diseases kill a child diseases kill a child every 8 secondsevery 8 seconds

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Symptoms of Waterborne Symptoms of Waterborne DiseasesDiseases

• DiarrheaDiarrhea• FeverFever• Abdominal CrampsAbdominal Cramps

These symptoms are common to These symptoms are common to many other conditions, making many other conditions, making diagnosis difficult.diagnosis difficult.

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Common Waterborne DiseasesCommon Waterborne Diseases• TyphoidTyphoid• CholeraCholera• Dysentery-ShigellaDysentery-Shigella• Diarrhea-CryptosporidiumDiarrhea-Cryptosporidium• GiardiasisGiardiasis• Diarrhea-E. ColiDiarrhea-E. Coli• Gastroenteritis-VirusesGastroenteritis-Viruses

Cryptosporidium

Giardiasis

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Causes of Waterborne Causes of Waterborne DiseaseDisease• BacteriaBacteria• VirusesViruses• ProtozoansProtozoans• Parasitic Parasitic

WormsWorms

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Recent Outbreaks in the Recent Outbreaks in the U.S.U.S.

• In 1993, more In 1993, more than 400,000 than 400,000 people in people in Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee, WI became ill from became ill from CryptosporidiumCryptosporidium

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Other sources of Contamination – Other sources of Contamination – 2121stst Century Contaminants Century Contaminants

• Municipal SewageMunicipal Sewage

• Polluted runoff from Polluted runoff from stormwater in urban stormwater in urban areasareas

• Pesticides and fertilizers Pesticides and fertilizers used in agricultureused in agriculture

• Animal waste from Animal waste from feedlots and farmsfeedlots and farms

• Industrial pollutionIndustrial pollution

• Mining wasteMining waste

• Hazardous waste sitesHazardous waste sites

• Petroleums spills and Petroleums spills and leaksleaks

• Natural contamination Natural contamination such as arsenic and such as arsenic and radonradon

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Other uses for Water – Other uses for Water – Pathways of exposurePathways of exposure

• RecreationRecreation

• Agriculture – Agriculture – IrrigationIrrigation

• HygieneHygiene