17.3  Public health impacts of water pollution

Waterborne infectious diseases are transmitted primarily through contamination of the water sources with excreta of humans and animals who are either active cases or carriers of disease. Carriers do not show any signs of disease although they have disease-causing agents in their body that can be transferred to others; active cases are people who are displaying visible signs of disease. Use of contaminated water for drinking or cooking, or contact with contaminated water during washing or bathing, may result in infection.

The dose or amount ingested that is necessary to cause illness depends on the type of pathogen. Exposure to a single pathogenic organism does not always result in infection and disease. Sometimes many pathogens, perhaps several hundred, must be ingested to cause infection. The minimum infectious dose also varies with the age, health, nutritional and immunological status of the exposed individual. Infants and young children, people who are debilitated, people who are living in unsanitary conditions, people who are sick and the elderly are at greatest risk of waterborne diseases.