title: Water-related infrastructure in a region of post-earthquake Haiti: high levels of fecal contamination and need for ongoing monitoring.
abstract: We inventoried non-surface water sources in the Leogane and Gressier region of Haiti (approximately 270 km(2)) in 2012 and 2013 and screened water from 345 sites for fecal coliforms and Vibrio cholerae. An international organization/non-governmental organization responsible for construction could be identified for only 56% of water points evaluated. Sixteen percent of water points were non-functional at any given time; 37% had evidence of fecal contamination, with spatial clustering of contaminated sites. Among improved water sources (76% of sites), 24.6% had fecal coliforms versus 80.9% in unimproved sources. Fecal contamination levels increased significantly from 36% to 51% immediately after the passage of Tropical Storm Sandy in October of 2012, with a return to 34% contamination in March of 2013. Long-term sustainability of potable water delivery at a regional scale requires ongoing assessment of water quality, functionality, and development of community-based management schemes supported by a national plan for the management of potable water.
authors: Jocelyn M
authors: JM
authors: Widmer
authors: Thomas A
authors: TA
authors: Weppelmann
authors: Meer T
authors: MT
authors: Alam
authors: B David
authors: BD
authors: Morrissey
authors: Edsel
authors: E
authors: Redden
authors: Mohammed H
authors: MH
authors: Rashid
authors: Ulrica
authors: U
authors: Diamond
authors: Afsar
authors: A
authors: Ali
authors: Madsen Beau
authors: MB
authors: De Rochars
authors: Jason K
authors: JK
authors: Blackburn
authors: Judith A
authors: JA
authors: Johnson
authors: J Glenn
authors: JG
authors: Morris
mesh_terms: D060766:Drinking Water; D055866:Earthquakes; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005843:Geography; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D060985:Natural Springs / Q000382:microbiology; D011634:Public Health; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards*; D060986:Water Wells / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water