Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 11, 2026
08:00
Screening for Endocrine Activity in Water Using Commercially-available In Vitro Transactivation Bioassays
Published on: December 4, 2016
8.0K
Evolution of regulatory targets for drinking water quality
Martha Sinclair1, Joanne O'Toole1, Katherine Gibney1
1Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
Journal of Water and Health
|June 5, 2015
Summary
Drinking water safety has evolved, shifting from preventing outbreaks to health-based targets reducing microbial disease risks. This review examines the history and future of these targets for safer community water supplies.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology and public health.
- Water quality and safety assessment.
- Risk management in public health.
Background:
- Historical understanding of microbial disease risks associated with water supplies.
- Evolution of public expectations regarding drinking water safety over the past century.
- Shift from reactive outbreak prevention to proactive health-based targets in water quality regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the changes in understanding of community disease and waterborne risks.
- To describe the development, underlying assumptions, and current context of health-based targets for drinking water.
- To discuss the appropriateness of current target values and their potential future evolution.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of historical and current scientific understanding of waterborne diseases.
- Analysis of regulatory shifts in drinking water quality standards.
- Discussion of scientific knowledge and practical considerations influencing target setting.
Main Results:
- Significant advances in understanding microbial risks from water have occurred.
- Drinking water regulation has progressed towards health-based targets aiming for disease reduction below detectable levels.
- Ongoing evaluation of target values and their adaptation to new knowledge is necessary.
Conclusions:
- The paradigm for drinking water safety has shifted towards proactive, health-focused risk reduction.
- Health-based targets represent a significant advancement in ensuring community-level safety.
- Continuous scientific inquiry and adaptation are crucial for the ongoing evolution and effectiveness of drinking water quality targets.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:24Evolution of New Traits in Microbes
150
Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...
150
01:25Regulation of Water Intake
3.1K
Osmolality refers to the number of solute particles per kilogram of solvent in a solution. Plasma osmolality specifically indicates the total number of solute particles per kilogram of water in blood plasma. This value reflects the body's hydration status and is tightly regulated through mechanisms controlling water intake and output. While water consumption is a conscious decision, the body has intrinsic regulatory systems to maintain fluid balance. Dehydration, a state of water deficit...
3.1K
01:19Quality of Water
715
In concrete preparation, the quality of water is paramount as it affects the strength and durability of the concrete. Potable water is usually preferred; however, it must not have excessive sodium or potassium to prevent compromising the concrete's integrity. Water quality is typically evaluated based on impurities such as dissolved solids, chlorides, and sulfates, and its pH value is ideally between 6 and 8. Even slightly acidic natural water may be acceptable unless it contains harmful...
715
01:26Regulation of Water Output
2.6K
The human body predominantly expels water through the urinary system. On average, an individual generates around 1.5 liters of urine each day. This amount can fluctuate based on how well a person is hydrated, but a critical minimum quantity of urine must be produced to ensure the body's proper functioning. Daily, the kidneys remove 600 to 1200 milliosmoles of dissolved substances, effectively excreting excess minerals and water-soluble toxins such as creatinine, urea, and uric acid from the...
2.6K
01:28Global Regulatory Systems
922
Global regulatory systems in bacteria enable rapid and coordinated responses to environmental changes by integrating sensory inputs with gene expression, ensuring efficient adaptation to fluctuating conditions. Key global regulatory mechanisms include regulons, two-component systems, sigma factors, and secondary messengers.Regulons and Global RegulatorsA regulon is a collection of genes and operons controlled by a common global regulator. These regulators enable bacteria to prioritize resource...
922
01:14Testing Water Quality
580
When the quality of water for concrete preparation is uncertain, its impact on the setting time of cement and compressive strength of mortar is assessed by comparison with de-ionized or distilled water benchmarks. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) C1602 requires the setting times to be within 90 minutes of the control, British Standard (BS) 3146:1980 allows a 30-minute variance in the initial setting, while British Standards European Norm (BS EN) 1008 specifies initial setting...
580