A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Acceptable microbial risk: Cost–benefit analysis of a boil water order for Cryptosporidium
Water treatment plants typically issue a boil water order (BWO) to a potentially affected populace when Cryptosporidium is detected in the finished water. Although BWOs involve costs that may not be justified for very low risks of infection, there is no predetermined risk level or environmental concentration that triggers such an order. In this study, a cost–benefit analysis was used to identify a threshold level of risk for issuing a BWO. A decision tree was constructed, and the threshold level of risk at which the expected benefits of a BWO exceed expected costs was identified. An exponential dose–response model was used to determine the dose of Cryptosporidium oocysts that corresponds to the threshold risk level. Results suggest that a daily risk of nine illnesses out of 10,000 people exposed would justify a BWO. Given typical 3‐log removal of oocysts during treatment, this risk level would correspond to a finished water concentration of 0.046 oocysts/L and a raw water concentration of 46 oocysts/L.
Acceptable microbial risk: Cost–benefit analysis of a boil water order for Cryptosporidium
Water treatment plants typically issue a boil water order (BWO) to a potentially affected populace when Cryptosporidium is detected in the finished water. Although BWOs involve costs that may not be justified for very low risks of infection, there is no predetermined risk level or environmental concentration that triggers such an order. In this study, a cost–benefit analysis was used to identify a threshold level of risk for issuing a BWO. A decision tree was constructed, and the threshold level of risk at which the expected benefits of a BWO exceed expected costs was identified. An exponential dose–response model was used to determine the dose of Cryptosporidium oocysts that corresponds to the threshold risk level. Results suggest that a daily risk of nine illnesses out of 10,000 people exposed would justify a BWO. Given typical 3‐log removal of oocysts during treatment, this risk level would correspond to a finished water concentration of 0.046 oocysts/L and a raw water concentration of 46 oocysts/L.
Acceptable microbial risk: Cost–benefit analysis of a boil water order for Cryptosporidium
Ryan, Michael O. (author) / Gurian, Patrick L. (author) / Haas, Charles N. (author) / Rose, Joan B. (author) / Duzinski, Phillip J. (author)
Journal ‐ American Water Works Association ; 105 ; E189-E194
2013-04-01
6 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Wiley | 1996
|Boil, boil, toil and trouble : the trouble with boil water advisories in British Columbia
BASE | 2011
|Guidelines for Boil‐Water Advisories
Wiley | 1996
|Boil‐water Orders: Beneficial or Hazardous?
Wiley | 2003
Cryptosporidium: A risk assessment
Online Contents | 1996
|