scholarly journals How to Address Consumers’ Concerns and Information Needs about Emerging Chemical and Microbial Contaminants in Drinking Water; The Case of GenX in The Netherlands

Author(s):  
Liesbeth Claassen ◽  
Julia Hartmann ◽  
Susanne Wuijts

The perceived safety of tap water is an important condition for consumers to drink it. Therefore, addressing consumers’ concerns should be included in the roadmap towards the UN SDG 6 on safe drinking water for all. This paper studies consumers’ information needs regarding emerging contaminants in drinking water using a mental model approach for the development of targeted risk communication. As most consumers expect safe drinking water, free of contamination, communication on emerging contaminants may increase concerns. Here, we showed that communication strategies better tailored to consumers’ information needs result in smaller increases in risk perception compared with existing strategies.

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 608-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emrah Caylak ◽  
Mustafa Tokar

Safe and good quality drinking water is very important for human health. Water provides some heavy metals, such as As, B, Cd, Cn, Cr, Cu, F, Cl, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, and Sn. These are undesirable substances dangerous to human health and cause chronic diseases and various cancers. Coliform bacteria are a commonly used bacterial indicator of sanitary quality of water.E. coli, total coliform and enterococci have been used as indicators of possible sewage contamination might pose a health risk. In this study, water samples were taken from thirty different waterworks in Cankiri, Turkey and metallic and microbial contaminants were investigated. In the drinking tap water samples have been found at concentrations exceeding the Turkish regulations (As and free Cl) and the WHO guidelines (As and B). Our results also indicate that significant microbiological contaminations were found above the guidelines for drinking waters given by the WHO, because of the fact that in the distribution of water is not appropriate.


2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Long ◽  
Steven L. Gortmaker ◽  
Anisha I. Patel ◽  
Stephen J. Onufrak ◽  
Cara L. Wilking ◽  
...  

Purpose: We assessed public support for required water access in schools and parks and perceived safety and taste of water in these settings to inform efforts to increase access to and consumption of tap water. Design: Cross-sectional survey of the US public collected from August to November 2011. Setting: Random digit-dialed telephone survey. Participants: Participants (n = 1218) aged 17 and older from 1055 US counties in 46 states. Measures: Perceived safety and taste of water in schools and parks as well as support for required access to water in these settings. Analysis: Survey-adjusted perceived safety and taste as well as support for required access were estimated. Results: There was broad support for required access to water throughout the day in schools (96%) and parks (89%). Few participants believed water was unsafe in schools (10%) or parks (18%). Conclusion: This study provides evidence of public support for efforts to increase access to drinking water in schools and parks and documents overall high levels of perceived taste and safety of water provided in these settings.


Earth ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-30
Author(s):  
Md Nadiruzzaman ◽  
Hosna Jahan Shewly ◽  
Afsana Afrin Esha

Plastic, an offer of modernity, has become one of the essential parts of our everyday life. However, it is presenting a massive threat in altered forms, to our health and environment. Plastic does not only pollute the surface environment, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, but toxic elements released from plastics also percolate down the surface and contaminate groundwater, which we often use as ‘safe’ drinking water. This probable future risk is deeply rooted in the entire governance infrastructure of plastic waste which could potentially lead to contamination of groundwater. Thus, a state-sponsored ‘safe drinking water’ initiative could contrarily produce a ‘risk society’. A recent study finds 81% of tap water samples collected worldwide contained plastic pollutants, which means that annually we may be ingesting between 3000 and 4000 microparticles of plastic from tap water. Based on review, ethnographic observations and interviews, and lived experience in a plastic-wrapped city (Dhaka), this paper sheds light on the complex interface of plastic, water, and public health, on the relevance of Beck’s ‘risk society’ to understand this complexity, and on replicating the idea of ‘risk society’ in the case of Bangladesh. Through understanding the plastic–groundwater–waste management nexus, this paper highlights and advocates for a new strategy of plastic governance in modern states.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 6842
Author(s):  
Noor Fadilla Ismail ◽  
Suhairul Hashim ◽  
Mohamad Syazwan Mohd Sanusi ◽  
Ahmad Taufek Abdul Rahman ◽  
David Andrew Bradley

Across populations, the dominating source of public exposure to radiation is radon gas. In the present study, we aimed at determining the concentration of radon in water sources from the southwest coastal region of Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 27 water samples were taken from various water sources which included groundwater, as well as hot spring, lake, river, seawater, and tap water; the radon concentrations were measured using a RAD7 portable radon detector. The radon concentrations ranged from 0.07 ± 0.12 to 187 ± 12 Bq l−1, with an average of 21 ± 12 Bq l−1. The highest concentration was found in hot spring water, with an average concentration of 99 ± 6 Bq l−1, while the lowest concentration was found in tap water, with an average concentration of 1.95 ± 0.61 Bq l−1. The average concentrations of radon for all categories of sampled water were below the 100 Bq l−1 WHO guidance level for safe drinking water. According to the ICRP effective dose conversion factor and UNSCEAR (2000), the total effective dose from the summation of inhaled and imbibed water was calculated from the aqueous radon concentrations, with an average effective dose of 4.45 µSv y−1, well within the WHO safe drinking water guideline value of 100 µSv per year. The results of this study could support the efforts of authorities and regulators who are responsible for controlling and strategizing to ensure public safety against radon exposures.


1970 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
RP Ruma ◽  
MH Haque ◽  
MA Zinnah ◽  
MT Hossain ◽  
MT Islam ◽  
...  

The research work was under taken to find out the effect of various treatments on water of different sources with a view to supply safe drinking water for rural poultry and livestock. For that, water of four different sources (lake, river, tap, tube well of BAU campus) were collected during the period from December 2006 to June 2007 and subjected to several treatments with physical (heat) and chemical (Hello tab, bleaching powder, potassium permanganate, alum and acetic acid) means in the Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202 with a view to get water free from deleterious microorganisms those are easily transmitted through drinking water of the above mentioned sources. Water of all the sources were subjected to microbiological examination before and after treatment. No bacteria was found in the water samples collected from tube well of five places of BAU campus following cultural examination. Gram positive rod shaped bacteria were isolated from the river and tap water of Ishakhan Hall Lake (IHL), Brahmaputra river (BR), Taposhi Rabeya Hall (TRH), Teacher staff quarter (TSQ), Microbiology laboratory (ML) and Bangabandhu Hall (BBH) whereas Gram negative rod shaped bacteria (E. coli) were isolated from the water of IHL, BR and from the tap water of ML and BBH. Gram positive cocci was found only in the tap water of ML. The pre-treatment culture of water samples revealed that the TVC (387 CFU/ml) and TCC (75 CFU/ml) were highest in the water of lake compare to those of other water samples collected from river and taps. As a physical means heat treatment (1000C for 4 to 8 minutes) was highly effective. No single colony was found in all the water samples following treatment with heat. No changes in colour, taste and odour were noticed before and after heat treatment of all the water samples. Among the chemical agents, Hello tab (0.05 g/100 ml) was found to be the most effective to make the water free from all the microbial contamination. The taste, colour and odour of the Hello tab treated water samples were found as normal as safe drinking water. The colour, taste and odour of water treated with bleaching powder, potassium permanganate, alum and acetic acid were also examined and it was found that the colour, taste and odour were not normal after treatment of the water samples. Therefore, it may be concluded that the water treated with Hello tab was found superior compare to the water of other treatments in this study which was found free from microbial contamination and unpleasant taste and order. Key words: Water, microorganisms, chemical agents, heat DOI = 10.3329/bjvm.v6i1.1337 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2008). 6 (1): 37-43


Author(s):  
VV Vasilyev ◽  
TV Ryabinina ◽  
MV Perekusihin ◽  
EV Vasilev

Introduction: Drinking water from centralized drinking water supply systems is not always safe due to its natural pollution with various chemicals and microbiological contamination occurring in the distribution system. In this regard, the role of the service exercising governmental water quality surveillance is growing. The purpose of the study was to assess the quality of drinking water and the associated health risk and to substantiate priority measures aimed at improving the quality of water in the centralized water supply systems of the region. Materials and methods: We examined the results of drinking water quality testing performed within the implementation of sanitary and epidemiological surveillance and socio-hygienic monitoring and incidence rates in morbidity of population in 27 districts of the Penza Region and the regional center for the years 2014–2019. Health risks from oral exposures to waterborne chemicals were assessed in accordance with Guidelines R 2.1.10.1920–04. The statistical relationship was studied by the correlation method. Results: We established that water quality in the centralized water supply systems fed by underground sources is determined by the chemical composition of the exploited aquifers that divide the territory of the Penza Region into four zones. The worst water quality was observed in the fourth zone where concentrations of natural iron, fluorides and boron in tap water were many times higher than their maximum permissible levels and the hazard quotient for fluorides exceeded the limit value (HQ = 2.845 for children and 1.219 for adults). In the third zone, iron posed the highest risks of diseases of mucosa and skin (HI = 0.296), the immune system (HI = 0.311), and hematopoietic system (H = 0.473) in children; we also established a strong correlation between the average annual concentration of iron in tap water and the incidence of genitourinary disorders, gastritis and duodenitis in the child population. Although the share of the population supplied with safe drinking water from centralized water supply systems increased from 86.5 % in 2014 to 89.4 % in 2019, the target set within the Regional Clean Water Project for 2019 was not achieved. Conclusion: The study results were taken into account when making additions to the Regional Clean Water Project in 2020 envisaging construction of iron removal plants and water well drilling in areas with low fluorine levels.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 182-188
Author(s):  
N. Divya Lalitha ◽  
Sunayana Manipal ◽  
Prabu. D

Background: National Rural Drinking Water Program (NRDWP) attempts to provide each and every individual a sufficient amount of safe water for drinking, cooking and other essential household needs on a maintainable premise, with a base water quality standard, which ought to be helpfully open consistently and in all circumstances. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze and unveil the habitations covered by the National Rural Drinking Water Program in different states and union territories of India. Materials and method: Secondary data regarding the total households in each states/ union territory and the households covered by the National Rural Drinking Water Program, Households Having Safe Drinking Water supply in India as per Census 2011 and availability of safe drinking water in households and the source of drinking waters was extracted from the 2018 National Health Profile’s annual publication by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI). Results: In India,43% of the households use tap water and 11% use well water.46.6% of the households have water within the premises, 35.8% of the households have water near the premises and 17.6% have it far away. 81.08% are fully covered habitations under the program and only 3.34% of the habitations in India are quality affected habitations. Conclusion: Although the targets have not been achieved, this program has attempted to provide safe drinking water to many people in different states and union territories in India. Keywords: Rural areas, Habitations, Drinking water, India..


2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline van de Veerdonk ◽  
Jan Van Essen ◽  
Jos Dekker

Safe drinking water is a primary necessity to life that is of essential importance to public health. The water companies make sure that the water that comes out of the tap is safe to drink. The water companies are well aware of any actual risks in the process from source to tap, and they take many actions to avoid risks or to reduce the risks to an acceptable level. This is also what they communicate to their customers. But whether their customers are convinced that their drinking water is safe is decided not just by their knowledge of any actual risks, but also by their perception of such risks. To keep customer confidence high, it is of vital importance that the drinking water sector is aware of the consumers' perception regarding the safety of tap water: a risk may be negligible based on the facts, but might still become a big problem because of people's perception. Risk management thus should keep the balance between facts and perception.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 1343-1354
Author(s):  
Dr. Sakreen Hasan

The urban centers offering diverse employment opportunities and means of livelihood are the main centers of attraction for migration. But the availability of infrastructure is low to accommodate the invariably growing population. The access to basic amenities like electricity, drinking water, toilet facility, wastewater outlet and clean fuel are critical determinants of quality of urbanization. And if it lacks, then it would facilitates the growth of slum.  In this paper it being tried to capture the interdependent relationship between basic amenities and slum population residing in the class I towns in Maharashtra; largest slum populated state of India. As the slum is all about the situation or condition in which the people of medium and lower strata are living. A detailed analysis of proportion of slum population and availability of amenities which includes good housing condition, treated tap water as the source of drinking water, electricity as the source of lightning, households having latrine and bathing facility within the premises, waste water outlet connected to closed drainage, and households availing the banking facilities. This may be a limitation of the study that only these indicators have been taken to assess the availability of amenities and to calculate the amenity index of class I towns of the state of Maharashtra. To achieve the sustainable development goal (Sustainable cities and communities), we have to control the growth of slum population and to combat the formation of slum; we have to analyze the situation of basic infrastructure provided in urban centers. Amenities and slum population has policy implications as to reduce the slum population, provide basic amenities to the households which will improve their standard of living and ultimately lead to reduction in growth of slum and check the future slum formation.


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