scholarly journals Monitoring Waterborne Pathogens in Surface and Drinking Waters. Are Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) Simultaneously Efficient in the Elimination of Enteric Viruses and Fecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB)?

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2824
Author(s):  
Daniel Salvador ◽  
Maria Filomena Caeiro ◽  
Fátima Serejo ◽  
Paulo Nogueira ◽  
Rui Neves Carneiro ◽  
...  

Monitoring the quality of water is a requisite to prevent outbreaks related to waterborne diseases, predominantly caused by pathogens like enteric viruses, usually transmitted via the fecal-oral route. This study aimed to survey a group of enteric viruses (Enterovirus, Norovirus genogroups I and II, and hepatitis A virus) in two surface water sources of drinking water, also intending to evaluate the extent of their elimination in the two water treatment plants (WTPs) involved in drinking water production. Correlations between these viruses and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) were also evaluated. Positive samples for viral RNA were recurrently found by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and quantified, in genomic copies per liter (gc/L) of sampled water. Viral RNAs were detected in 14 out of 27 samples of surface water, and 21 out of 36 samples of drinking water, NoV II having been the most frequently detected in both (0–78.6 gc/L and 0–12.5 gc/L, respectively). Both WTPs showed variable efficacies in the elimination of viral RNA. Only one correlation was found with FIB, between NoV II and intestinal enterococci. These results recommend the monitoring of enteric viruses over time and their inclusion in the mandatory analysis of water quality.

2020 ◽  
Vol 185 ◽  
pp. 109385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donatella Feretti ◽  
Mattia Acito ◽  
Marco Dettori ◽  
Elisabetta Ceretti ◽  
Cristina Fatigoni ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
pp. 111-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Whitman ◽  
Meredith B. Nevers ◽  
Katarzyna Przybyla-Kelly ◽  
Muruleedhara N. Byappanahalli

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Patton ◽  
Leigh-Anne Krometis ◽  
Emily Sarver

Issues surrounding water infrastructure, access, and quality are well documented in the Central Appalachian region of the United States. Even in cases where residents have in-home piped point-of-use (POU) water, some rely on alternative drinking water sources for daily needs—including water collection from roadside springs. This effort aims to better understand and document spring usage in this region by identifying the factors that influence drinking water source selection and comparing household and spring water quality to Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) health-based and aesthetic contaminant recommendations. Households were recruited from communities surrounding known springs in three states (Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia). First- and second-draw, in-home POU tap water samples were collected from participating households and compared to samples collected from local springs on the same day. Samples were analyzed for fecal indicator bacteria and inorganic ions. Study participants completed surveys to document perceptions of household drinking water and typical usage. The majority of survey participants (82.6%) did not trust their home tap water due to aesthetic issues. Water quality results suggested that fecal indicator bacteria were more common in spring water, while several metallic ions were recovered in higher concentrations from household samples. These observations highlight that health risks and perceptions may be different between sources.


2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 5937-5946 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Borchardt ◽  
Nathaniel L. Haas ◽  
Randall J. Hunt

ABSTRACT Human enteric viruses can contaminate municipal drinking-water wells, but few studies have examined the routes by which viruses enter these wells. In the present study, the objective was to monitor the municipal wells of La Crosse, Wisconsin, for enteric viruses and determine whether the amount of Mississippi River water infiltrating the wells was related to the frequency of virus detection. From March 2001 to February 2002, one river water site and four wells predicted by hydrogeological modeling to have variable degrees of surface water contributions were sampled monthly for enteric viruses, microbial indicators of sanitary quality, and oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. 18O/16O and 2H/1H ratios were used to determine the level of surface water contributions. All samples were collected prior to chlorination at the wellhead. By reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), 24 of 48 municipal well water samples (50%) were positive for enteric viruses, including enteroviruses, rotavirus, hepatitis A virus (HAV), and noroviruses. Of 12 river water samples, 10 (83%) were virus positive by RT-PCR. Viable enteroviruses were not detected by cell culture in the well samples, although three well samples were positive for culturable HAV. Enteroviruses detected in the wells by RT-PCR were identified as several serotypes of echoviruses and group A and group B coxsackieviruses. None of the well water samples was positive for indicators of sanitary quality, namely male-specific and somatic coliphages, total coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, and fecal enterococci. Contrary to expectations, viruses were found in all wells regardless of the level of surface water contributions. This result suggests that there were other unidentified sources, in addition to surface water, responsible for the contamination.


2001 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 188-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Payment ◽  
Robert Plante ◽  
Patrick Cejka

Pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria occurrence and removal were studied for a period of 6 months at the Montreal Urban Community wastewater treatment facility. With a capacity of about 7.6 million cubic metres per day (two billion U.S. gallons per day), it is the largest primary physico-chemical treatment plant in America. The plant discharges a nondisinfected effluent containing about 20 mg/L of suspended matter and 0.5 mg/L of total phosphorus on the basis of average annual concentrations. BDO5 (annual mean) is 75 mg/L before treatment and 32 mg/L after treatment. Samples were collected for a period of 6 months, and they demonstrated that the plant was not efficient at removing indicator bacteria and the pathogens tested. Fecal coliforms were the most numerous of the indicator bacteria and their removal averaged 25%. Fecal streptococci removal was 29%, while Escherichia coli removal was 12%. In untreated sewage, fecal coliforms, E. coli, and human enteric viruses were more numerous in summer and early autumn. Fecal streptococci counts remained relatively similar throughout the period. Clostridium perfringens removal averaged 51%. Giardia cysts levels were not markedly different throughout the study period, and 76% of the cysts were removed by treatment. Cryptosporidium oocyst counts were erratic, probably due to the methods, and removal was 27%. Human enteric viruses were detected in all samples of raw and treated wastewater with no removal observed (0%). Overall, the plant did not perform well for the removal of fecal indicator bacteria, human enteric viruses, or parasite cysts. Supplementary treatment and disinfection were recommended to protect public health. Various alternatives are being evaluated.


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