scholarly journals Tracing Bacterial Legalities: The Fluid Ecologies of the European Union’s Bathing Water Directive

2015 ◽  
pp. 99-118
Keyword(s):  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Bathing Water

An assessment of the impact of the proposed EU bathing water directive on Irish coastal bathing area compliance

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 225-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Chawla ◽  
K. Real ◽  
B. Masterson
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Water Quality Standards ◽  
Microsoft Excel ◽  
Microbial Water Quality ◽  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Good Classification ◽  
The Impact

An assessment of the impact of the new microbial water quality standards of the proposed EU Bathing Water Directive on the classification of designated Irish coastal bathing areas is presented. The new standards are applied retrospectively to the microbial water quality results for the bathing seasons of 1999, 2000 and 2001, and the outcome is compared with that recorded under the present Bathing Water Directive. A Microsoft EXCEL application was developed to generate the retrospective bathing area classifications according to the proposed Directive (Excellent, Good, Poor). It was found that the number of Irish coastal bathing areas not attaining ‘Excellent’ classification (as would be required at present for the Blue Flag award) was trebled; the number attaining ‘Good’ classification was increased by about 50%, and the number attracting ‘Poor’ classification (equivalent to ‘Fail’ under the present Directive) was increased nine-fold. Some of the shortcomings of the proposed Directive and suggestions for its revision are discussed.

scholarly journals Monitoring of Waterborne Pathogens in Surface Waters in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and the Potential Health Risk Associated with Exposure to Cryptosporidium and Giardia in These Waters

2008 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 2069-2078 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. M. Schets ◽  
J. H. van Wijnen ◽  
J. F. Schijven ◽  
H. Schoon ◽  
A. M. de Roda Husman
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Waterborne Pathogens ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Canal Water ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Estimated Risk

ABSTRACT The water in the canals and some recreational lakes in Amsterdam is microbiologically contaminated through the discharge of raw sewage from houseboats, sewage effluent, and dog and bird feces. Exposure to these waters may have negative health effects. During two successive 1-year study periods, the water quality in two canals (2003 to 2004) and five recreational lakes (2004 to 2005) in Amsterdam was tested with regard to the presence of fecal indicators and waterborne pathogens. According to Bathing Water Directive 2006/7/EC, based on Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococcus counts, water quality in the canals was poor but was classified as excellent in the recreational lakes. Campylobacter, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia were detected in the canals, as was rotavirus, norovirus, and enterovirus RNA. Low numbers of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts were detected in the recreational lakes, despite compliance with European bathing water legislation. The estimated risk of infection with Cryptosporidium and Giardia per exposure event ranged from 0.0002 to 0.007% and 0.04 to 0.2%, respectively, for occupational divers professionally exposed to canal water. The estimated risk of infection at exposure to incidental peak concentrations of Cryptosporidium and Giardia may be up to 0.01% and 1%, respectively, for people who accidentally swallow larger volumes of the canal water than the divers. Low levels of viable waterborne pathogens, such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia, pose a possible health risk from occupational, accidental, and recreational exposure to surface waters in Amsterdam.

Bathing in the Rain - The Use of Mathematical Models for Storm Water Management to Achieve Bathing Water Quality (The Fylde Coast-NW England)

1992 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 59-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Head ◽  
D. H. Crawshaw ◽  
P. Dempsey ◽  
C. J. Hutchings
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Storm Water ◽  
Integrated Modelling ◽  
System Modelling ◽  
Storm Water Management ◽  
Sewerage System ◽  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Bathing Waters

One of the major problems in trying to design wastewater treatment schemes to protect bathing water for coastal communities with combined sewerage systems, is to ensure that discharges of storm water do not prejudice compliance with the requirements of the EC Bathing Water Directive. In order to develop an appropriate storm water management strategy for the Fylde coast it was necessary to integrate a number of mathematical models simulating the hydraulic behaviour of the sewerage system and the dispersion of discharges in the receiving waters. From the sewerage system modelling it was apparent that frequent discharges of storm water to the bathing waters could only be avoided by the provision of considerable additional storage in the system. By means of a suitably calibrated simplified sewer model it was possible to investigate the volumes of storm water generated by a 15 year record of local rainfall when different amounts of extra storage and different pumping regimes were employed. The results from these investigations were used to determine the probable concentrations of faecal bacteria in the coastal waters for each of the 15 bathing seasons and determine the percentage of time for which faecal coliform concentrations exceeded the Bathing Water directive standards for the model grid cells representing the identified bathing waters. As a result of the extensive integrated modelling programme for the Fylde coast it has been possible to design a base flow and storm water management system which should maximize the flow passed forward for treatment whilst also ensuring that there is just sufficient storage to ensure protection of the towns from flooding and the compliance of the beaches with the Bathing Water Directive standards.

scholarly journals Cercarial dermatitis in the Netherlands caused by Trichobilharzia spp.

2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. M. Schets ◽  
W. J. Lodder ◽  
Y. T. H. P. van Duynhoven ◽  
A. M. de Roda Husman
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Rapid Detection ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Simple Tool ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Frequent Exposure

Outbreaks of cercarialdermatitis which occurred in recreational lakes in the Netherlands were studied and a method for direct rapid detection of the parasite Trichobilharzia in water samples was developed. A standardized questionnaire with questions on health complaints and exposure was distributed to individuals who developed symptoms of cercarialdermatitis after visiting fresh water lakes. Snails from the suspected lakes were examined for the presence of Trichobilharzia by microscopy and PCR. Water samples were concentrated by filtration and examined by PCR. Water quality was tested according to European Bathing Water Directive 76/160/EEG. Trichobilharzia was detected in snails and water samples from lakes which met European bathing water standards. Despite a response of 25.5%, epidemiological data suggested that longer and more frequent exposure to the water resulted in increased reporting of symptoms of cercarialdermatitis and confirmed the importance of exposure as a risk factor. A novel method for direct detection of Trichobilharzia, which includes concentration of water samples by filtration and detection of the parasite by PCR proved to be a valuable and simple tool for confirmation of presumptive outbreaks, particularly when snails could not be found in the suspected water and public health protecting measures were necessary.

Methodology to elaborate the bathing water profile on urban beaches, according to the requirements of the European Directive 2006/7/EC: the case of Santander beaches (Spain)

2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 1037-1047 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iago López ◽  
César Álvarez ◽  
José L. Gil ◽  
José A. Revilla
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Environment ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
Pumping System ◽  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Bathing Waters ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Reaction Processes ◽  
Water Profile ◽  
Selection Of

The approval of the current Bathing Water Directive (Directive 2006/7/EC) set the necessity to define the bathing water profile. The goals established in the definition of the profile are: (i) to know the processes that determine the concentration of bacteriological indicators in the aquatic environment, (ii) to obtain relationships between the cause of pollution and its effects, and (iii) to evaluate the fulfilment of the Directive and to set the Quality Monitoring and Assessment Program, according to the bacteriological characteristics of the bathing water. In this paper an approach to elaborate the bathing water profile and its application to several bathing waters located in Santander municipality (North Spain) is shown. The methodology involves the assessment of advection, diffusion and reaction processes of bacteriological organisms in the aquatic environment by using mathematical models and the selection of an indicator to evaluate the probability to exceed the bacteriological concentrations established in Directive 2006/7/EC, which is useful for the ‘source apportionment’ assessment. In the definition of the bathing water profile we have considered the sanitation system operating under normal conditions, which includes storm water overflows, uncontrolled discharges and the discharge produced when the pumping system of the wastewater breaks. Finally, according to the bacteriological characteristics of the bathing water it is necessary to develop the Quality Monitoring and Assessment, which has been done taking into account the requirements established in Directive 2006/7/EC and the uncertainties detected in such a method regarding the number of samples to be considered.

scholarly journals Bathing water quality analysis, management and policy: an integrated assessment for Ireland

Water Policy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Alamanos
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Quality Analysis ◽  
Treatment Standards ◽  
Bathing Water Directive ◽  
Bathing Water ◽  
Water Quality Status ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Quality Status

Abstract Every bathing season in Ireland several bathing sites are closing and receiving warnings against bathing. In this report, their water quality status is assessed, and the broader picture of each case is investigated. A database is formed including location-maps, the restrictions they were/are subject to, the official justification, past and current annual water quality status, (sub)catchment where they are located, main water bodies flowing in, the closest WasteWater Treatment Plants with their characteristics and performance based on EU treatment standards, the closest meteorological stations and the rainfall data related with stormwater overflow events (correlation analyses) and the surrounding land cover. For each case, possible causes were discussed; the actions so far and the relevant literature are analyzed to provide key policy recommendations which are useful for the review of the European Bathing Water Directive.

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