Health risks associated with consumption of untreated water from household roof catchment systems

2002

Author

• Dennis J. Lye Northern Kentucky University Department of Biological Sciences

Description

Rainwater harvesting is receiving increased attention worldwide as an alternative source of drinking water. Although collected rainwater is typically consumed without any type of disinfection, the microbial quality of this type of water source can be poor. Around the world, consumers of collected and stored rainwater may be at considerable risk to a variety of infectious diseases. This review presents studies attributing specific risks of diseases to the consumption of contaminated rainwater. Diseases attributed to the consumption of untreated rainwater include bacterial diarrheas due to Salmonella and Campylobacter, bacterial pneumonia due to Legionella, botulism due to Clostridium, tissue helminths, and protozoal diarrheas from Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Simple indicator systems such as fecal coliform measurements may prove to be inadequate for determining microbial risks associated with consumption of water from rainwater catchment systems.

Journal of the American Water Resources Association volume 38 pages 1301-1306

DOI : 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2002.tb04349.x

Cited by chapter 6, and usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016. (reference: a8dc8e9b)