Animal Waste, Water Quality and Human Health

306Animal Waste, Water Quality and Human HealthLessons for the futureThe UV system described can improve water quality and reduce the number of beachadvisories in a bathing season. The system could be applied to similar small freshwater recreational bathing areas. System efficacy is reduced when contaminants arewashed into the enclosed bathing area, during high bather loads and when untreatedwater from the reservoir flows over the curtain into the enclosed area. Ways tominimize these impacts are being investigated.Case Study 3: Bathing Water Quality – prediction and signage: Providing batherswith up-to-date advice on water quality 3ProblemThe classification and management of recreational bathing waters has traditionally reliedon monitoring health-related microbiological parameters, often referred to as faecalindicator organisms (FIOs). Because results were only available some time aftersampling (24 to 48h) these did not reflect relevant conditions when bathers were actuallyusing the bathing water. It was recognized that systems were required for daily use thatpredict, protect and inform more timely (World Health Organization 2002). Bathersrequire information at the time they were considering bathing regarding potentialrisks to their health and with adequate warning given of any short term pollution eventssuch as wet weather direct or diffuse faecal pollution from human or animal sources.Improvement initiativeTo address this, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and ScottishGovernment decided to develop bathing water quality predictions which providedreal-time public information and advice for bathers as they arrive at the bathing site.Daily bathing water quality predictions (forecasts) were posted on electronic variablemessage signs at beach locations networked to a central communication centre withsimultaneous updates made on the website, and via a phone and text message service(http://www.sepa.org.uk/water/bathing_waters/bathing_signs.aspx). The electronictext message displays show either: “Excellent water quality is predicted today”, “Goodwater quality is predicted today” or, “Bathing not advised today; risk of poor waterquality”. Functionality of the electronic signs is enhanced by including multi-pages toallow additional messages to be interspersed between the main messages. Examplesinclude: “Welcome to the beach”, “Please take your litter home” or “Please do not feedgulls in this area”.3Contributed by Calum McPhail (Scottish Environment Protection Agency).