TY - JOUR
T1 - Evolution of regulatory targets for drinking water quality
AU - Sinclair, Martha Irvine
AU - O'Toole, Joanne Elizabeth
AU - Gibney, Katherine
AU - Leder, Karin Sharona
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - The last century has been marked by major advances in the understanding of microbial disease risks from water supplies and significant changes in expectations of drinking water safety. The focus of drinking water quality regulation has moved progressively from simple prevention of detectable waterborne outbreaks towards adoption of health-based targets that aim to reduce infection and disease to a level well below detection limits at the community level. This review outlines the changes in understanding of community disease and waterborne risks that prompted development of these targets, and also describes their underlying assumptions and current context. Issues regarding the appropriateness of selected target values, and how continuing changes in knowledge and practice may influence their evolution, are also discussed.
AB - The last century has been marked by major advances in the understanding of microbial disease risks from water supplies and significant changes in expectations of drinking water safety. The focus of drinking water quality regulation has moved progressively from simple prevention of detectable waterborne outbreaks towards adoption of health-based targets that aim to reduce infection and disease to a level well below detection limits at the community level. This review outlines the changes in understanding of community disease and waterborne risks that prompted development of these targets, and also describes their underlying assumptions and current context. Issues regarding the appropriateness of selected target values, and how continuing changes in knowledge and practice may influence their evolution, are also discussed.
UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26042974
U2 - 10.2166/wh.2014.242
DO - 10.2166/wh.2014.242
M3 - Article
SN - 1477-8920
VL - 13
SP - 413
EP - 426
JO - Journal of Water and Health
JF - Journal of Water and Health
IS - 2
ER -