current and emerging public health hazards - Plumbing Industry ...

Plumbing and Waterborne Disease in thedeveloped worldThe word ‘plumbing’ is derived from the Latin word for lead,plumbum, which the Ancient Romans used to make and linethe pipes that carried drinking water around their cities.As was later discovered, dissolved lead is poisonous and its usein pipes supplying water for human consumption is now strictlyprohibited – a useful reminder that plumbing systems can beassociated with significant public health risks, which plumbersare responsible for preventing or managing. 3The main aim of plumbing systems is to collect, transport anddistribute safe drinking water to communities, and then safelyremove liquid waste. It is easy to fall into the belief that becausethe developed world enjoys access to sophisticated water supplysystems, treated with disinfectants and other processes, therisk of water supplies becoming contaminated is highly unlikely.Whilst this is largely true, outbreaks, though rare in comparisonto the developing world, do still occur.In one of the most recent and detailed studies on waterborne disease in developed countries,Steve and Elizabeth Hrudey’s book Safe Drinking Water, Lessons from Recent Outbreaks in Affluent Nationshighlighted some recurring causes of disease outbreaks in the developed world, including:• Contamination of drinking water supplies as a result of cross-connection towaste removal or recycled water systems.• Failure and mechanical difficulties with chlorination pumps, filters and othercontrol systems; or reliance on chlorination without proper filtration andother treatment barriers.• Restricted access or an inability to fix old systems, or in some cases,no knowledge of old pipe systems until an outbreak occurred.• Overloading of sewage treatment plants leading to the discharge of sludgesolids in clean water.• Contamination of pipes, or the inadequate construction, repair or replacementof these pipes. 43. WHO & World Plumbing Council , Health Aspects of Plumbing, Chapter 3, 20064. Hrudey S and Hrudey E, Safe Drinking Water, Lessons from Recent Outbreaks in Affluent Nations,Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta,Edmonton, AB, Canada, IWA Publishing, 20044