EPA resource provides microbial risk assessment in water

DENVER — A new resource provided by the EPA "aims to help risk assessors and scientists in the development of rigorous and scientifically defensible risk assessments for waterborne pathogens," according to an American Water Works Association (AWWA) news release.

The EPA resource, "Microbial Risk Assessment Tools, Methods, and Approaches for Water Media," highlights a human health risk assessment framework for microbial hazards in water media compatible with other existing risk assessment frameworks for human health and chemical hazards, stated the release.

The human health risk assessment framework described in the EPA resource includes pathogens in treated drinking water, recreational waters, biosolids, source water for drinking water and shellfish waters, continued the release.

The release noted that the EPA document does not address microbial indicators of fecal contamination like enterococci, E. coli and bacteriophage.

You can find more information on the EPA resource here.