Journal article
Pathogen reduction requirements for direct potable reuse in Antarctica: Evaluating human health risks in small communities
S Fiona Barker, Michael Packer, Peter J Scales, Stephen Gray, Ian Snape, Andrew J Hamilton
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT | ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV | Published : 2013
Abstract
Small, remote communities often have limited access to energy and water. Direct potable reuse of treated wastewater has recently gained attention as a potential solution for water-stressed regions, but requires further evaluation specific to small communities. The required pathogen reduction needed for safe implementation of direct potable reuse of treated sewage is an important consideration but these are typically quantified for larger communities and cities. A quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) was conducted, using norovirus, giardia and Campylobacter as reference pathogens, to determine the level of treatment required to meet the tolerable annual disease burden of 10(-6) DALYs..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the members of the AAD Polar Medicine Unit for providing context and a clearer understanding of station conditions. Helpful comments and suggestions were also received from Dr. Martha Sinclair (Monash University). Funding for this work through the Cooperative Research Network (CRN) program of the Australian Government and the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and Communities of the Australian Government is gratefully acknowledged.