MT2 (Community and Public Health)

Environmental Health Protection

Water is the common name applied to the liquid form (state) of the hydrogen and oxygen
compound H2O. Pure water is an odorless, tasteless, clear liquid. Water is one of natures
most important gifts to man!ind. "ssential to life, a persons sur#i#al depends on drin!ing
water. Water is one of the most essential elements to good health $$ it is necessary for the
digestion and a%sorption of food& helps maintain proper muscle tone& supplies oxygen and
nutrients to the cells& rids the %ody of wastes& and ser#es as a natural air conditioning
system.
COMMUNITY !TE" !N# !$TE M!N!%EMENT
'unctions of (o#ernment )gencies tas!ed*delegated to monitor community water and waste
management+
re#iew of the design of municipal water supply, treatment, and distri%ution systems
and wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal systems&
issuance of Permits to ,onstruct for municipal water supply and wastewater pro-ects&
issuance of Permits to Operate municipal infrastructure facilities and systems&
assessment and ran!ing of capital wor!s funding requests&
monitoring and inspecting the operation of municipal water and wastewater systems&
de#elopment of guidelines, policies, and regulations for the design and operation of
municipal water and wastewater systems&
assessment of alternati#e treatment technologies for water and wastewater& and
de#elop and maintain en#ironmental data%ases.
$OCI!& IMPO"T!NCE O' !TE" TO THE COMMUNITY
water is part of some religious practices
water for food and rural de#elopment
safe drin!ing water, health and sanitation
causes peace and*or conflict
economics of water through commerciali.ation
source of energy
causes disasters
EPI#EMIO&O%Y O' IN'ECTIOU$ !N# TO(IC !%ENT$ IN !TE"
In)ectiou* !+ent* in ater
Proto,oa / such as amoe%a, ,rytosporidium, ,yclospora, (iardia, 0icrosporidium
Para*ite* - such as 1chistosoma, 2racunculus, 3aenia, 'asciolopsis %us!i,
Hymenolepsis nana, "chinococcus granulosus, )scaris, "ntero%ius
.acteria / ,lostridium %otulinum, ,ampylo%acter -e-uni, 4i%rio cholera, ".coli,
1higella, 1almonella, 5egionella
/iru* / Hepatitis ) #irus, Polio#irus, 1)61, )stro#irus, ,alici#irus, Par#o#irus,
)deno#irus, 7, #irus and 89 #irus
To0ic !+ent* in ater
Heavy metal* - this category includes su%stances such as mercury and lead.
Inor+anic chemical* / includes su%stances such as as%estos, hydrofluoric acid, and
chlorine gas.
Pharmaceutical dru+* / this includes drug o#erdoses
Or+anic to0in / this includes organic materials such cyanide and pesticides.
.iolo+ical to0in* / this includes toxins from li#ing creatures (i.e. sna!e #enom,
amphi%ian #enom, %ee sting, %ee #enom, spider #enom, etc) as well as other organic
sources (i.e. mushroom poisoning).
"adiation / specifically, radiation poisoning.
E))ect* o) To0in*
0a-or*minor damage to specific organs (i.e. s!in, lungs, reproducti#e organs,
ner#ous system, cardio#ascular system, etc). 3his could manifest itself in a #ariety of
ways, for example, in the case of damage to the ner#ous system, it would lead to
neurological disorders such as Par!insons disease or )l.heimers disease).
)llergies
,hronic #iral infections
Hormonal im%alances
,hronic fatigue
,ompromised immune systems
,ancer (through carcinogens)
2eath
TH"EE M!IN $OU"CE$ O' !TE"
12 "ain
6ain is the prime source of all water. ) part of the rain water sin!s into the ground to
form ground water& part of it e#aporates %ac! into atmosphere, and some runs off to
form streams and ri#ers which flow ultimately into the sea.
Characteri*tic* o) "ain 3ater4
:. 6ain water is the purest water in nature. Physically, it is clear, %right and
spar!ling. ,hemically, it is #ery soft water containing only traces of dissol#ed
solids (;.;;;< percent).
2. 8eing soft, it has a corrosi#e action on lead pipes.
=. 8acteriologically, rain water from clean districts is free from pathogenic
agents.
Im5uritie* o) "ain 3ater4
:. 6ain water tends to %ecome impure as it passes through the atmosphere. >t
pic!s up suspended impurities from the atmosphere such as dust, soot and
microorganisms and gases such as car%on dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen and
ammonia.
2. (aseous sulfur and nitrogen oxides are emitted from power plants that use
fossil fuels. 3hese gases react with atmospheric water, forming dilute solution
of sulphuric and nitric acid. 3he precipitation of these acids (acid rain) has
%egun to ha#e serious impacts on surface water quality and on plants etc.
22 $ur)ace 3ater / Oceans, 6i#ers, 1treams, 3an!s, Ponds ? 5a!es
1urface water originates from rain water. >t is the main source of water supply in
many areas. "xamples of surface water include ri#ers, tan!s, la!es, man$made
reser#oirs and sea water. 1urface water is prone to contamination from human and
animal sources. )s such it is ne#er safe for human consumption unless su%-ected to
sanitary protection and purification %efore use.
Characteri*tic* o) $ur)ace 3ater4
:. 1urface water pic!s up the characteristics of the surface o#er which it passes.
>f water flows across a par!ing lot, gasoline, oil, and other contaminants may
%e carried %y or dissol#ed into the water.
2. Water may pic! up fertili.ers, road salts, radioacti#ity, and %iological
contaminant from farms, as well as countless other %iological, physical, and
chemical pollutants.
"iver*
0any ri#ers furnish a dependa%le supply of water. 3he chief draw%ac! of ri#er water
is that it is always grossly polluted and is quite unfit for drin!ing without treatment.
Characteri*tic* o) "iver 3ater4
:. 6i#er water is tur%id during rainy season& it may %e clear in other seasons.
,larity of water is no guarantee that the ri#er water is safe for drin!ing.
2. 6i#er water contains dissol#ed and suspended impurities of all !inds. 3he
%acterial count, including the human intestinal organisms may %e #ery high.
Im5uritie* o) "iver 3ater4
3he impurities of ri#er water are deri#ed from surface washings, sewage and sullage
water, industrial and trade wastes, and drainage from agricultural areas.
$el)65uri)ication o) "iver 3ater4
,ertain amount of self$purification occur in ri#er water %y natural forces of
purification such as dilution, sedimentation, aeration, oxidation, sunlight, plant and
animal life ,%ut these agencies are not sufficient to render the water pota%le. 6i#er
water needs purification %efore it can %e used for drin!ing purposes.
$ea 3ater
3hough this source is plentiful, it has great many limitations. >t contains =.< percent
of salts in solution. 2esalting and deminerali.ation process in#ol#es hea#y
expenditure. >t adopted in places where sea water is the only source a#aila%le.
72 %round 3ater / 1hallow wells, 2eep wells ? 1prings
6ain water percolating into ground constitutes ground water. Water used %y humans
comes mainly from land. >t is now realised that there is a limit to ground water in the
world. (round water is the cheapest and most practical means of pro#iding water to
small communities. (round water is superior to surface water, %ecause the ground
itself pro#ides an effecti#e filtering medium.
!dvanta+e* o) %round 3ater4
:. >t is li!ely to %e free from pathogenic agents&
2. >t usually requires no treatment&
=. 3he supply is li!ely to %e certain e#en during dry season&
@. >t is less su%-ect to contamination than surface water.
#i*advanta+e* o) %round 3ater4
:. >t is high in mineral content, e.g., salts of calcium and magnesium which
increase the water hard&
2. >t requires pumping or some arrangement to lift the water.
ell*
3raditionally wells are an important source of water supply. "#en today, they are an
important source of water supply in many communities.
Ty5e* o) ell*
12 $hallo3 3ell*
>t taps su%soil water i.e. the water from a%o#e the first imper#ious layer in the
ground. 3hey pro#ide limited quantities of water, and the water is easy to %e
polluted unless care is ta!en in well construction.
22 #ee5 3ell*
) deep well is one which taps water from the water$%earing stratum %elow the
first imper#ious layer in the ground. 2eep wells are usually machine$dug and may
%e se#eral hundred meters deep. 2eep wells furnish the safest water, and are
often the most satisfactory sources of water supply.
$5rin+*
When ground water comes to the surface and flows freely under natural pressure, it
is called a AspringA. >n some geographic areas, springs constitute an important
source of water. 1prings are simpler to exploit, as no pumping is needed to %ring the
water to the surface. 1prings are exposed to contamination.
Ty5e* o) $5rin+*
12 $hallo3 *5rin+*
1prings that dry up quic!ly during summer months
22 #ee5 *5rin+*
1prings that do not show seasonal fluctuations in the flow of water.
TE$TIN% O' !TE"
12 Coli)orm Te*t
0icro%iology test used to detect for the presence of coliform %acteria.
>f fecal coliform counts are high (o#er 2;; colonies*:;; ml of water sample) in
the ri#er, there is a greater chance that pathogenic organisms are also present. )
person swimming in such waters has a greater chance of getting sic! from
swallowing disease$causing organisms, or from pathogens entering the %ody
through cuts in the s!in, the nose, mouth, or the ears. 2iseases and illness such
as typhoid fe#er, hepatitis, gastroenteritis, dysentery, and ear infections can %e
contracted in waters with high fecal coliform counts.
22 Chlorine Te*t
) chemical test that detects for the presence of free chlorine le#els in water to
facilitate the amount of chlorine to %e added and monitor water quality.
,hlorine is added to drin!ing water to !ill the microorganisms which cause
typhoid, cholera, hepatitis ), and other diarrheal disease.
Im5ortance o) Chlorine te*tin+
>t there is not enough chlorine in water, the microorganisms will not %e
!illed.
>f there is too much chlorine in the water, the users may not want to
drin! it %ecause of the taste of chlorine and may %e tempted to use
other less safe water supplies.