AWWA ACE68987

This powerpoint presentation begins by providing a brief overview of U.S. drinking water issues due to aging water and wastewater infrastructure. Examples of waterborne disease outbreaks are presented, including the Salmonella typhimurium outbreak in a public drinking water system in Colorado in 2008, and the Bass Island, Ohio 2004 waterborne disease. The cholera outbreak in London in the 1850s is presented, along with the subsequent epidemiology study by John Snow, the first of its kind to track waterborne disease to a single source, in this case the Broad Street water pump. The presentation examines how waterborne surveillance data can inform prevention messages and regulatory improvement. Presentation conclusions indicate the following: successful outbreak investigations require experts from multiple disciplines; waterborne disease outbreaks have provided valuable information on waterborne disease occurrence and trends; use of outbreak data for more effective prevention efforts will require enhanced public health partnerships, improved communication between epidemiology and environmental health, and systematic evaluation of data; improving investigation and surveillance will advance our knowledge base for prevention; and, ongoing vigilance is necessary to prevent future waterborne disease outbreaks. Includes table, figures.