General

The protozoan pathogens, Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium parvum have been recognised as a public health threat in drinking waters and the cause of several waterborne disease outbreaks. The features of these organisms which may facilitate waterborne transmission are the large numbers of cysts and oocysts excreted by hosts and the increased potential for environmental spread and contamination as a consequence of their lack of, or reduced, host specificity. The prevalence and levels of both Giardia and Cryptosporidium in a water supply depends upon a variety of contributors and their associated activities performed in the catchment area. The presence of these contributors will vary between catchments, highlighting that any monitoring program will have to take individual catchment characteristics into account. As a consequence, any protozoan monitoring program will be enhanced by the findings of, a sanitary survey.

See http://www.wioa.org.au/conf_papers/1998/Paper2.htm

General information on infection
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/sep21/sinclair/sinclair.html

General pathogen monitoring theory
http://www.ozestuaries.org/indicators/in_pathogen_organisms_f.html

Protocols

Suggested Protozoan Monitoring Program

From:http://www.wioa.org.au/conf_papers/1998/Paper2.htm

Taking into account cost constraints associated with protozoan monitoring, the following components of a protozoan monitoring programme are suggested:

• monitoring of source waters at least 10 times per year;
• dataset to include monitoring during pertinent events (eg heavy rainfall, animal birthing season);
• scheduled to coincide with known events in the catchment (eg influx of tourists) and seasonal influences;
• where detected in the source, monitor the waters impacting on the source water;
• monitoring to be performed in conjunction with a thorough inspection of catchment area;
• document the various sites and activities which pose the greatest risk.

ANZECC 2000 General Water Quality Monitoring Program Design Guidelines
http://www.deh.gov.au/water/quality/nwqms/summary/chapter3.html

Case Study

Sydney Catchment Authority
http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/water/wq_monitor.html

Person Contact

A/Professor Nicholas Ashbolt,
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW, Sydney NSW 2052, Bus: 02 9385 5946, Mobile: 0407 774 913, Bus Fax: 02 9385 6139, E-mail n.ashbolt@unsw.edu.au

Organisation Contact

CRC for Water Quality Treatment
http://www.waterquality.crc.org.au/Programs/program2A/proj221.htm

Advanced References