Public Health Risk Assessment and Risk Management for Safe Drinking Water

Abstract

Groundwater provides drinking water to more than 10 million Canadians, including more than 80% of rural populations. Ensuring that groundwater is safe for human consumption is a shared responsibility of any scientist or professional engaged in a domestic or municipal groundwater supply. All such individuals should understand the basis for judging the safety of drinking water, particularly, the practical limitations of the techniques for making those judgements. This is true for public health risk assessment of drinking water, just as groundwater hydrogeologists need to understand the uncertainties and limitations of the methods they must rely on for understanding and interpreting groundwater resources. This book seeks to provide an insight into the processes used for judging the health risks associated with contamination of drinking water so that groundwater specialists can engage with public health officials in meaningful discussion and decision-making about the best means for effectively managing health risks associated with drinking water.