Abstract
BackgroundThis study examined the relationship between the bacteriological contamination of drinking water from private wells and acute gastrointestinal illness (AGII), using current government standards for safe drinking water.MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted using 235 households (647 individuals) randomly selected from four rural hamlets. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire, a self-report diary of symptoms and two drinking water samples.ResultsTwenty percent of households sampled, had indicator bacteria (total coliform or Escherichia coli (E. coli)) above the current Canadian and United States standards for safe drinking water. No statistically significant associations between indicator bacteria and AGII were observed. The odds ratio (OR) for individuals exposed to E. coli above the current standards was 1.52 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.33–6.92), compared to individuals with levels below current standards. The odds ratio estimate for individuals exposed to total coliforms above the current standards was 0.39 (95% CI, 0.10–1.50).ConclusionsThis study observed a high prevalence of bacteriological contamination of private wells in the rural hamlets studied. Individual exposure to contaminated water defined by current standards may be associated with an increased risk of AGII.
Highlights
This study examined the relationship between the bacteriological contamination of drinking water from private wells and acute gastrointestinal illness (AGII), using current government standards for safe drinking water
Using prospectively collected symptom diaries we studied all individuals in the household and used both non-specific and specific (E. coli counts) measures of fecal contamination
Sixty-four percent of wells were between 31 and 100 feet deep, 22% of wells were greater than 100 feet deep, 6% of wells were less than 30 feet deep and 8% were unsure of the depth of their well
Summary
This study examined the relationship between the bacteriological contamination of drinking water from private wells and acute gastrointestinal illness (AGII), using current government standards for safe drinking water. A study of children in the Philippines showed substantially more illness among children drinking contaminated water quantified by the presence of E. coli, but the effect was limited to children less than 2 years of age and only for those children drinking highly contaminated water.[12] A study conducted in French alpine villages found a positive association between fecal streptococcus only. Fecal coliforms were found to be protective for small villages.[11] As well, a study of farm wells in Ontario found a significant association between the presence of E. coli and AGII at the individual level modified by the distance from the septic tank.[13]
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