Full Description

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California recently completed construction ofan 800,000 acre-ft (1 ¿ 109 m3) drinking water reservoir. Recreational activities, includingswimming and other sports involving direct body contact (BC) with the water, have been thesubject of considerable interest by local community members. Consequently, a modeling-basedrisk assessment study was conducted to assess the potential public healthconsequences to downstream potable water users consuming water from this reservoir ifBC recreation was permitted. Results of the study indicated that the annual risk of waterborneillness would increase three times above background, despite conventional treatment.Moreover, the occurrence of high-loading pathogen events associated with BC recreationwas observed to significantly increase the daily risk of waterborne illness to downstreamconsumers. The study also considered the cost of additional treatment that would benecessary to address the increased risk. The modeling approach used in this study providesguidance for policymakers and stakeholders who are examining issues associated with BCrecreation and drinking water reservoirs. Includes 57 references, tables, figures.

Product Details

Edition: Vol. 94 - No. 5 Published: 05/01/2002 Number of Pages: 14 File Size: 1 file , 1000 KB