Workshop summary: estimating waterborne disease risks in the United States

Area of Science:

• Environmental epidemiology
• Public health risk assessment
• Microbial contamination of drinking water

Background:

• Estimating endemic waterborne illness risks in the United States requires comprehensive epidemiologic and risk information.
• Existing data may be insufficient for accurate national risk calculations, leading to uncertainty in public health assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate available epidemiologic and other information for estimating endemic waterborne illness risks.
• To identify critical data gaps hindering accurate national risk assessment of drinking waterborne pathogens.
• To provide a blueprint for future research on microbial risks in drinking water.

Main Methods:

• A workshop convened experts to discuss existing research and data on waterborne illnesses.
• Papers prepared for the special issue were critically reviewed and discussed.
• Deliberations focused on identifying uncertainties and data needs for risk estimation.

Main Results:

• Fourteen specific recommendations were formulated based on workshop discussions.
• Seven major data gaps were identified as crucial for reducing uncertainty in national risk estimates.
• The workshop highlighted the need for improved understanding of endemic and epidemic risks.

Conclusions:

• The current information base has limitations for accurately estimating endemic waterborne illness risks.
• Addressing identified data gaps is essential for regulatory officials and public health professionals.
• The findings provide a strategic direction for future research in drinking water safety and microbial risk assessment.