Water Quality, Case Study Example

In the USA, the quality and safety of public drinking water remains a major health issue concern.  It is estimated that 900,000 people fall ill, and 900 people die annually from water-based infectious diseases.  Further, over 1.3 million Americans suffer illness from contaminated water supply.  Most of the US drinking water is obtained from the surface or ground water, which lends itself to potential contamination.  Scientists have declared that “the bacteria, viruses and protozoa that are of major concern in drinking water are usually of fecal origin.” (American Public Health Journal)  In the USA this is normally an issue when the water treatment plants fail and untreated water gets into the system.

Typical illnesses that may occur from this are Norwalk virus and Hepatitis A.  Other illnesses are mainly associated with gastrointestinal illness, and this can pose serious conditions to those suffering from HIV AIDS or suppressed immune systems.  Another serious issue relates to the use of disinfection byproducts.  e.g. chlorine.  These have been shown to create trihalmethane  that have been linked to bladder,: and rectal cancer.  When considering drinking water safety, it’s important to remember that infants and those with suppressed immune systems are more vulnerable to waterborne viruses. About 85% of the population of India is dependent upon groundwater for human consumption.  The shortage of water in the country is also having a major environmental impact.  It is estimated that around 10% of the rural population do not have access to safe drinking water.  In India it is claimed that chemical pollution poses the greatest risk to human health i.e., fluoride, arsenic and selenium.  20 Indian states use excessive fluoride, placing around 10 million people at risk.  In addition, pollution of ground and surface waters from agricultural chemicals poses an enormous threat to environmental hazards in the country.  The World Bank has estimated that the total cost of environmental health damage to India amounts to the sum of $9.7 billion annually. (Indira Khurana)

Figure 1 Morbidity by Cholera and Hepatitis in India

A case study in India relate to that of the Vembanhad history system.  A West Coast area has associated with an abundance diverse fishing industry.  Sending both commercial and shellfish, and the lake is used for drinking water.  This wetland has come under severe risk from pollution, they too diverging River systems, minding, spillage of chemicals, run off with agricultural chemicals and can take untreated sewage.  This has both depleted and contaminated fishing supply and deprive the local population from its livelihood.  The Indian government has now imposed an extensive education and awareness program in order to try and rectify and address the situation here. ” Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) is trying to work towards a deliberative, democratic conservation strategy for the conservation of the Vembanad wetland, so as to ensure the participation of the communities in conservation of the lake. With the intention of regaining the participatory methods in lake management and to enhance cooperation between various stakeholders, Government departments, NGOs and academic institutions and to create awareness about the state of fishery resources of the lake.” (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment).

Works Cited

American Public Health Journal. “Drinking water quality and public health (position paper.” American Public Health Journal (2001): 499–500. .

Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment. Vembanad Fish Count – Report of the Participatory Fish Resources Survey of the Vembanad Lake (Kerala) done in May 2008 by ATREE. 5 2008. 10 5 2010 <http://www.indiawaterportal.org/node/10101>.

Indira Khurana, Romit Sen. Drinking quality water in rural India. 2009. 10 5 2010 <http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:0jCqxbO3hgMJ:www.waterawards.in/suggested-reading/wateraid-drinking-water-quality.pdf+Water+quality+issues+in+India&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShbcRg6jTahQjycCLgvs9aaD-LdZp0UunOxKAYMJHCdvSfLYmsy_Sy3j-KvLBRV_SE2>.