Water Environment Research Article Examines Quantitative Microbial Risks During Recreational Water Use

Paper examines effects from impaired waterways from a variety of activities, weather conditions

The open access article for the March 2015 issue of Water Environment Research (WER) assesses the quantitative microbial risk to evaluate exposure to impaired waterways from a variety of activities, under a broad array of weather conditions. The authors, Neha Sunger and Charles N. Hass, specifically tested for the estimated risk of gastrointestinal illnesses associated with recreational exposure to Philadelphia waterways, under dry and wet weather conditions.

“Sunger and Hass demonstrate that the risks to recreational users of waterways are higher during wet weather and are highest at easily accessible creek sites due to increased use,” said WER Editor-in-Chief Tim Ellis. “This is significant since it evaluates risk separately from bacteriological water quality indicators.”

Using maximum likelihood estimation, stochastic exposure models were generated for each exposure scenario and Monte Carlo techniques were applied to characterize uncertainty in final risk estimates. The dry-weather risk estimates were found significantly lower than those predicted for wet-weather conditions. The predicted risk, calculated in proportion of the frequency of use, was elevated at 6 out of 10 sites (ranging from 9 to 52 illnesses/1000 users/day). Activities contributing most to the risk of GI illness at creeks were identified as wading and playing, while fishing was the potential risk contributor at rivers. The quantitative measure of risk contribution from each type of water activity obtained from this study can be useful for policy makers in prioritizing the future interventions.

Formerly available to subscribers only, selected WER articles such as this one are available free to the public on a monthly basis through an open-access program. Click here to download the open access article, “Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment for Recreational Exposure to Water Bodies in Philadelphia,” by Neha Sunger and Charles N. Haas.

Published by the Water Environment Federation (WEF) since 1928, WER is a popular professional journal that features peer-reviewed research papers and research notes, as well as state-of-the-art and critical reviews on original, fundamental, and applied research in all scientific and technical areas related to water quality, pollution control, and management. Originally known as the Sewage Works Journal, WER is available in both print and online formats and receives approximately 300 new research submissions each year.

About WEF
Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of 36,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. WEF members, Member Associations and staff proudly work to achieve our mission to provide bold leadership, champion innovation, connect water professionals, and leverage knowledge to support clean and safe water worldwide. For more information, visit www.wef.org.