Epidemiologic monitoring of possible health reactions of wastewater reuse.
The possible health effects of consuming groundwater partially recharged with recycled wastewater were monitored in a long-term study of residents of several communities in eastern Los Angeles County, California. In three phases of ecologic studies, health measures were compared among residents of two recycled water areas (high and low concentration) and two control areas. Included were measures of mortality, reportable illnesses, adverse birth outcomes, and incident cases of cancer. While significant differences were noted among the four study areas when comparing several health outcomes, none of the differences were in a direction to suggest a dose-response relationship between reclaimed water consumption and disease. To supplement findings of the ecologic studies, a household survey was conducted of approximately 2,500 women, half residing in the high recycled water area and half in the control area. The survey provided increased information on reproductive outcomes and on excess effects after controlling for important potential confounding factors such as cigarette use and alcohol consumption. The results of both the ecologic studies and the household survey provide no indication that recycled water has a noticeable harmful effect on the health of a population exposed for nearly two decades.
D004782:Environmental Health; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity; D009026:Mortality; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012722:Sewage; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014876:Water Pollution; D014881:Water Supply
D012722:Sewage