Drinking Water Microbiology Research in the United States: An Overview of the Past Decade

1988 ◽  
Vol 20 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 101-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald J. Reasoner
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Heterotrophic Bacteria ◽  
The United States ◽  
Drinking Water Quality ◽  
Giardia Cyst ◽  
The Past ◽  
Treatment Research

The passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1974 (Public Law 93-523) significantly influenced microbiological, chemical and engineering research on drinking water quality in the United States. Microbiological quality research during the past 10 years encompassed the two basic areas of treatment and distribution. Much of the treatment research focused on generation of data to support the evaluation of turbidity and coliform maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for the Interim Primary Drinking Water Standards. Major effort was also directed toward disinfection research on enteric viruses, pathogenic bacteria and the protozoan pathogen, Giardialamblia. Basic distribution system studies examined the occurrence of heterotrophic bacterial numbers and types in treated and untreated distribution waters, and coliform occurrence and colonization problems. Methodology developments bridged both treatment and distribution, and included enteric virus detection methods, injured ooliform recovery, heterotrophic bacteria enumeration, and Giardia cyst detection. Knowledge gained from the research efforts of the past deoade has resulted in new challenges and opportunities to improve drinking water quality.

scholarly journals Approximating Community Water System Service Areas to Explore the Demographics of SDWA Compliance in Virginia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 13254
Author(s):  
Cristina Marcillo ◽  
Leigh-Anne Krometis ◽  
Justin Krometis
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Water System ◽  
The United States ◽  
Drinking Water Quality ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Community Water ◽  
Service Areas

Although the United States Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) theoretically ensures drinking water quality, recent studies have questioned the reliability and equity associated with community water system (CWS) service. This study aimed to identify SDWA violation differences (i.e., monitoring and reporting (MR) and health-based (HB)) between Virginia CWSs given associated service demographics, rurality, and system characteristics. A novel geospatial methodology delineated CWS service areas at the zip code scale to connect 2000 US Census demographics with 2006–2016 SDWA violations, with significant associations determined via negative binomial regression. The proportion of Black Americans within a service area was positively associated with the likelihood of HB violations. This effort supports the need for further investigation of racial and socioeconomic disparities in access to safe drinking water within the United States in particular and offers a geospatial strategy to explore demographics in other settings where data on infrastructure extents are limited. Further interdisciplinary efforts at multiple scales are necessary to identify the entwined causes for differential risks in adverse drinking water quality exposures and would be substantially strengthened by the mapping of official CWS service boundaries.

scholarly journals Not Quite the Rule, But No Longer the Exception: Multiple Tobacco Product Use and Implications for Treatment, Research, and Regulation

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 2114-2117
Author(s):  
Lauren R Pacek ◽  
Andrea C Villanti ◽  
F Joseph Mcclernon
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
Tobacco Dependence ◽  
The United States ◽  
Tobacco Product ◽  
Regulatory Science ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
The Past ◽  
Product Use ◽  
Treatment Research

Abstract The patterns of tobacco product use in the United States have changed during the past several decades. Currently, a large proportion of tobacco users report using multiple tobacco products (MTPs). The prevalence of MTP use varies significantly by cigarette smoking frequency, as well: nearly half (46.9%) of all non-daily smokers report using other tobacco products within the past 30 days. Despite this, much of extant tobacco dependence treatment efforts, tobacco regulatory science research, and tobacco product research, in general, has focused largely on single product use (ie, cigarette smoking). To effectively design interventions and model the potential impact of regulations on tobacco products aimed at reducing tobacco use, as well as effectively study tobacco users, it is essential to consider actual use patterns in the population of tobacco users. Implications: MTP use is increasingly common in the United States. This commentary highlights the impact that MTP use has for efforts to treat tobacco dependence, tobacco regulatory science efforts, as well as on tobacco research, in general.

Development of communication networks and water quality early warning detection systems at drinking water utilities in the Ohio river valley basin

2005 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 235-242
Author(s):  
J.G. Schulte ◽  
A.H. Vicory
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
The United States ◽  
River Valley ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Ohio River ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Ohio River Valley

Source water quality is of major concern to all drinking water utilities. The accidental introduction of contaminants to their source water is a constant threat to utilities withdrawing water from navigable or industrialized rivers. The events of 11 September, 2001 in the United States have heightened concern for drinking water utility security as their source water and finished water may be targets for terrorist acts. Efforts are underway in several parts of the United States to strengthen early warning capabilities. This paper will focus on those efforts in the Ohio River Valley Basin.

scholarly journals Hydrogeochemical Studies of Groundwater In Industrial And Agricultural Area Of Gokul Shirgaon MIDC Region, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 228-236
Author(s):  
Tejashri V. Patil
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Quality Index ◽  
The United States ◽  
Biological Parameters ◽  
Total Water ◽  
Physical Chemical

Abstract: Groundwater is one of the earth’s most widely distributed and most important natural resources. Groundwater exists, wherever water penetrates beneath the surface. The rocks beneath the surface are permeable enough to transmit water, and at places, the rate of infiltration is so sufficient that the rocks are saturated to an appreciable thickness. This water may be fresh or brackish in quality. As the fresh water constitutes very little quantity of the total water available, we must think as to how best we can exploit it, and utilize it. With the growth of population, today in many of the places water has become a critical source. In many places it is dwindling both in quality and quantity, creating problems for the communities involved. Water Quality Index indicates the quality of drinking water by assessing physical, chemical and biological parameters of water. India had the most studies, with 177 articles, followed by China, Brazil and the United States. This four countries together published 57% of studies on WQI. Groundwater quality implies the level of concentration of different constituents of water which is ultimately described if it is suitable or not for drinking or other purpose such as irrigation. There are mainly three types of constituents or parameters for describing quality of groundwater as physiological, chemical and biological parameters. These parameters are described below: EC ,TDS, K, Na, Ca ,Mg ,TH, Co3, HCO3, Cl, SO4 ,and also we determine some trace element such as Copper (Cu) ,Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn) ,Nickel (Ni) ,Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn). Keywords: Gokul Shirgaon , Hydrogeochemical , GroundWater

scholarly journals Assessment of Radon Levels in Drinking Water Wells in St. Catherine, Jamaica

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (16) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard Smith ◽  
Mitko Voutchkov
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
The United States ◽  
Drinking Water Quality ◽  
World Health ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Water Wells ◽  
Study Results

Background. Radon is a known carcinogen and contaminant in drinking water wells, but is not monitored in drinking water quality programs in Jamaica. Objective. The present study was conducted to obtain radon data in local drinking water and evaluate potential health risks. The data will contribute to determining the level of compliance to public health criteria for radon and to develop a monitoring program based on the identified risks. Methods. This study assesses the concentration of radon in 22 drinking water wells in the parish of St. Catherine, Jamaica. Samples were collected for radon, with 12 other measurements gathered including pH, conductivity, TDS, alkalinity, hardness, phosphates, nitrates, chloride, sulfates, turbidity, well depth and geological features. The data were analyzed for compliance to international limits and association with geological and other parameters. Results. The average radon level was 18 Bq/L ± 2 Bq/L and varied from a low of 11 Bq/L ± 1 Bq/L to a high of 41 Bq/L ± 1 Bq/L. There was a positive correlation between radon levels and both alkalinity and turbidity. No relationship of any significance, however, was identified with the other physicochemical parameters. All the study results fell within the European Union (EU) limit of 100 Bq/L, and well within the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) limit of 147 Bq/L. Most of the wells in this parish have radon levels exceeding the proposed USEPA limit of 11 Bq/L. The proposed limits are intended to support radon mitigation programs to manage radon in air. No limits are provided in the newest edition of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Guidelines for Safe Drinking Water Quality. Conclusions. Most wells in the study area met existing international limits. Almost all, however, did not meet the proposed USEPA limit for locations without radon mitigation programs. This indicates the need to establish national screening levels for radon, consistent with WHO and USEPA recommendations. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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