Microbiological Assessment of Tap Water Following the 2016 Louisiana Flooding

Abstract

Floods are a prominent risk factor in the world of public health, as there is a risk of dispersal of harmful biological and chemical contaminants in floodwater. As climate change increases, the occurrence of natural disasters and risk of adverse health outcomes due to flash flooding also increases. Fecal indicator bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Enterococci, are often encountered in contaminated floodwater and can cause gastrointestinal illnesses as well as a variety of infections. In August 2016, East Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes in Louisiana suffered heavy floods due to intense rainfall. No study of water quality during flooding has been conducted previously in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Twenty-three pre-flush and post-flush water samples were collected immediately from accessible homes that had been affected by the floods in order to quantify concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria. These samples were analyzed for the presence of E. coli and Enterococci through both quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and the IDEXX enzyme substrate method. The qPCR results indicated that 30% of the samples contained Enterococci and 61% of the samples contained E. coli, with the highest concentrations found in the pre-flush outdoor hose and the pre-flush kitchen tap. The IDEXX method yielded total coliforms in 65% of the samples, E. coli in 4%, and Enterococci in 35%, with the highest concentrations in the pre-flush outdoor faucet and the pre-flush post-filtration kitchen tap. Physical parameters including temperature, barometer pressure, dissolved oxygen, oxidation reduction potential, pH, conductivity, and salinity of these samples were also recorded. Of these parameters, conductivity and salinity were significant, suggesting they may positively influence E. coli and Enterococci growth.

A Citizen Science Approach for Mapping Total Microbial Communities and Waterborne Pathogens in Household Drinking Water in China

“…being not detected in CZ_0728. Therefore, the rising risk of waterborne pathogens in post-flush tap water samples indicates that extreme rainfall events are a prominent risk factor in public health in terms of water (and food) safety (Phan and Sherchan, 2020). To maintain the standard of the treated discharge water during extreme rainfall events in the future, the government needs to invest more to upgrade the water processing capacity of wastewater treatment plants to be prepared for unpredictable effluent load.…”

Microbial Contamination of Surface Water and Groundwater in Flood-Impacted Rural Communities in South Texas Following Hurricane Hanna

“…Moreover, no study to date has investigated the impact of Hurricane Hanna on the microbial contamination in receiving waters in rural areas. In molecular analysis, HF183 is the most commonly used human fecal marker in water; , however, very few studies investigated the occurrence of human Bacteroides in GW following hurricanes. , Additionally, similar studies have reported different relationships between culturable methods and qPCR for the quantification of Escherichia coli, − which need further clarifications.…”