In response to my recent emails dealing with waterborne disease outbreaks, I was directed to an article in the Toronto Star published in May 2018 which really got my attention. I think that as water professionals this is an article we should all read when we have a few minutes.
Health Canada has been busy with new, reaffirmed, and proposed guidelines as well guidance documents this year. The latest is ‘Guidance on the use of quantitative microbial risk assessment in drinking water.’ It has been approved and is available for viewing/download.
Following up from my recent email on ‘Common themes contributing to recent drinking water disease outbreaks in affluent nations’, I’ve come across two additional Campylobacter outbreaks where, in one case, thousands were sickened and some deaths were reported. One was in Askøy near Bergen, Norway in June 2019 and appears to have run its course now.
Following up from articles and books on disease outbreaks the Hrudey’s have published another timely article on the same theme. As we have been observing in the research world we are now educating students who have not heard of the Walkerton outbreak in 2000 (or were born since then!). The study authors report that 24 drinking-waterborne disease outbreaks in affluent nations have occurred since then, pointing to the recent campylobacteriosis outbreak with 5,500 cases and four fatalities.
A document entitled “Aluminum in drinking water: Guideline technical document for consultation” has been posted on Health Canada’s website. A new health-based guideline (MAC) of 2.9 mg/L is being proposed for aluminum for the first time.
I’ve seen some news reports that prosecutors have dismissed all charges in the Flint water crisis investigation (recall that there were two issues, lead which was the focus, but also Legionnaires disease which was not considered in the original investigation)...
There are several best practices (and guidelines and regulations) for flushing and ‘disinfecting’ drinking water distribution piping following installation or repair (e.g. AWWA Standard C651-05 Disinfecting Water Mains, and the Watermain Disinfection Procedure in Ontario)...
Two new guideline technical documents for Canadian Drinking Water Quality are now available on Health Canada's website.
As drinking water professionals we have turned our attention to the latest potential threats including for example microplastics, perfluorinated compounds, and cyanobacterial toxins.
As drinking water regulators become more aware of cognitive and behavioural issues associated with manganese, new guidelines and regulations are being considered or enacted...
