title: Enhanced communication and coordination in the public health surveillance component of the Cincinnati Drinking Water Contamination Warning System.
abstract: Effective communication and coordination are critical when investigating a possible drinking water contamination incident. A contamination warning system is designed to detect water contamination by initiating a coordinated, effective response to mitigate significant public health and economic consequences. This article describes historical communication barriers during water contamination incidents and discusses how these barriers were overcome through the public health surveillance component of the Cincinnati Drinking Water Contamination Warning System, referred to as the "Cincinnati Pilot." By enhancing partnerships in the public health surveillance component of the Cincinnati Pilot, information silos that existed in each organization were replaced with interagency information depots that facilitated effective decision making.
authors.affiliation: Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Water Security Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA. dangel.chrissy@epa.gov
authors.forename: Chrissy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dangel
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Allgeier
authors.forename: Darcy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Simon
mesh_terms: D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D003142:Communication; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009820:Ohio; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D060753:Water Quality / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water