Health-Related Water Microbiology 2002

Despite advances in treatment, risk assessment, monitoring and improved detection methodologies, microbial contamination of water is still a major global issue and seems to be destined to remain so for the foreseeable future. Contributions to the Melbourne symposium highlighted the difficulties in providing safe drinking water in developing countries. A salutary lesson to all has been provided by the waterborne outbreak of E. coli O157 (with several fatalities) in Walkerton, Canada emphasising that, even with apparently proper checks and controls in place, developed countries are still susceptible to significant problems of microbial contamination of water. This has further illuminated the plight of developing countries where the use of highly contaminated waters for drinking and irrigation poses a major health problem to users. Such problems are further exacerbated by intermittent supplies and the lack of affordable treatment technologies. From the many papers presented at the symposium 43 have been selected, following peer review, for these proceedings. Topics covered include: the Walkerton outbreak; sources of contamination; microbial contamination; methodological investigations; microbial reduction by wastewater treatment; removal of microbes by disinfection; microbial aspects of recreational water; water microbiology in developing countries; assessing microbial risk; and microbial monitoring. Together they constitute a major source of information and insight for microbiological researchers, sanitary engineers, regulators, and all those involved in this crucial area of public health.