19
Aug
2016
Public Health

What Are Zoonotic Diseases?
08
Jul
2016
Wastewater
by Joan B. Rose, PhD

The Global Water Pathogen Project: Helping to Meet the UN Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals

As nations work to meet the 17 post-2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is a significant new resource that will help “ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,” the focus of SDG #6.   That resource is the Global Water Pathogen Project (GWPP), the largest single coordinated effort of... Read More »
04
Mar
2016
Wastewater
by Joan B. Rose, PhD

Water Experts Use Technology to Promote Safe Water and Sanitation

Controlling human exposure to waterborne pathogens associated with fecal waste is a key factor in attaining the goal of safe drinking water and sanitation for all, (Sustainable Development Goal #6 in the 2030 United Nations Agenda).  What does it take to make significant strides toward that lofty goal?  Try a group of nine international scientific... Read More »
12
Feb
2016
Drinking Water
by Water Quality & Health Council

Into the Belly of the Beast: Maintaining Water Quality in Elevated Water Storage Tanks

We hear much about the vast, leaky water distribution system below our feet, but not much about some of the more highly visible, towering components of this system.  These are the elevated water storage tanks that dot our landscape, looking like odd, other-worldly creatures. Elevated water storage tanks are a source of pressurized drinking water... Read More »
29
Jan
2016
Treatment
by Chris Wiant, MPH, PhD

Keeping the Lead out of Drinking Water

The recent lead in drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan raises questions about the role of water distribution infrastructure in altering the quality of water delivered to consumers.  In Flint, lead was leached from the water distribution system after the city changed from the Detroit Water System, which takes water from Lake Huron, to the... Read More »
31
Dec
2015
Drinking Water
by Water Quality & Health Council

Meet the Water Quality & Health Council

Who We Are:  The WQ&HC is a multidisciplinary group of independent experts sponsored by the American Chemistry Council’s Chlorine Chemistry Division. The group’s knowledge and experience span science and medicine, public health policy, consumer advocacy, environmental engineering, risk assessment and emergency response.  In 2016, the American Chemistry Council and the WQ&HC will celebrate the 25th... Read More »
24
Dec
2015
Drinking Water
by Water Quality & Health Council

A Snow Crystal is Born

Because we think quite a bit about good old H2O, our holiday gift to you is a mesmerizing video of the birth of a snow crystal, provided with the kind permission of Professor Kenneth Libbrecht of Caltech. Professor Libbrecht photographs snow crystals as they grow, controlling their shapes by changing the temperature and humidity. Enjoy!... Read More »
13
Nov
2015
Drinking Water
by Fred Reiff, PE

The Problem with Intermittent Water Delivery in Developing Countries

It’s great to have water piped into your home, but what happens when the flow of water is intermittent?   It is not uncommon for communities in developing countries to supply water for only a few hours or less every other day, due to an inadequate water supply and/or to save on the electrical costs of... Read More »
29
Oct
2015
Treatment
by Joan B. Rose, PhD

Do Point-of-Use Water Quality Interventions Work?

In many regions of the developing world, good drinking water quality is far from a “given.” The fact is that water contaminated with fecal matter causes widespread diarrheal illness and death, disproportionally affecting children under the age of five.  Recently, a group of researchers from The Cochrane Collaboration assessed several water treatment interventions taken at the household point of use for their effectiveness in improving water quality and preventing diarrhea.... Read More »
24
Jul
2015
Treatment
by Water Quality & Health Council

Substances that Cause Tap Water Taste, Odor and Appearance

A drink of tap water is a complex sensory experience that reflects a wide range of factors, including: the natural environment of the source water, including whether the source water hails from above (lake or river) or below (ground water) the Earth’s surface; water treatment processes; the household plumbing system; and the consumer’s sensitivity to taste and odor. This week we examine some of the common substances in water and the scenarios that may impart a color, taste or odor to tap water.... Read More »