Microbial risk assessment for recreational use of the Chicago Area Waterway System

Abstract

A microbial risk assessment was conducted to estimate the human health risks from incidental contact recreational activities such as canoeing, boating and fishing in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) receiving secondary treated, but non-disinfected, effluent from three municipal water reclamation plants. Actual concentrations of the pathogens (pathogenic E. coli [estimated], Giardia, Cryptosporidium, adenovirus, norovirus, enteric virus) detected from the waterway field data collection at locations upstream and downstream of the effluent outfall during dry and wet weather conditions within the recreation season were included in the risk assessment. The results under the current treatment scheme with no disinfection indicated that the total expected

Adhesion of marine cryptic Escherichia isolates to human intestinal epithelial cells

“…The present study provides new insights on the ecology and evolution of cryptic Escherichia lineages in the sedimentary habitat and suggests that they could potentially confound water quality assays, leading to misinterpretation of the risks of exposure to fecal bacteria (Rijal et al, 2011). Current practices of water quality monitoring could be improved with new molecular methods aimed to identify and distinguish E. coli from Escherichia cryptic clades.…”

Health Risks of Limited-Contact Water Recreation

“…Two wastewater treatment plants that use an activated sludge process but no disinfection (such as chlorination) each discharge about 300 million gallons of treated wastewater per day into segments of the CAWS where limited-contact recreation (but not swimming) is permitted. Approximately 75% of the annual flow through the CAWS originates from the treatment plans (Rijal et al 2011). In addition to the CAWS, recruitment took place at inland lakes, rivers, and Lake Michigan beaches designated by the state for swimming and other full-contact use, referred to here as general-use waters (GUW) [see Supplemental Material, Figure 1 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1103934) for recruiting locations].…”

Human recreational exposure to antibiotic resistant bacteria in coastal bathing waters

“…Nineteen papers were retrieved that stated volumes of water ingested while swimming (including bathing) (Allen et al, 1982;Boland et al, 1993;Dorevitch et al, 2011;Dufour et al, 2006;Eisenberg et al, 1996;Evans et al, 2006;Georgiou and Langford, 2002;Haas et al, 1999;Marino et al, 1995;Philipp et al, 1985;Rijal et al, 2011;Schets et al, 2011;Shuval, 2003;Staley et al, 2012;United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1989, 2003Westrell, 2004;World Health Organization, 2003). Only four of these provided detailed methods used to derive these estimations (Allen et al, 1982;Dorevitch et al, 2011;Dufour et al, 2006;Schets et al, 2011).…”

“…Only four of these provided detailed methods used to derive these estimations (Allen et al, 1982;Dorevitch et al, 2011;Dufour et al, 2006;Schets et al, 2011). Other records stating volumes of water ingested did not report methods used to derive the estimates (Boland et al, 1993;Eisenberg et al, 1996;Georgiou and Langford, 2002;Haas et al, 1999;Marino et al, 1995;Philipp et al, 1985;Rijal et al, 2011;Shuval, 1975;Staley et al, 2012;United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1989, 2003Westrell, 2004;World Health Organization, 2003) or did not provide enough information for an adequate appraisal of the quality of evidence Escherichia coli (CFU/100 ml) 0-250 251-500 N500 supporting the estimate . Two different methods were described to quantify the ingestion of water whilst swimming.…”