EA30810 - WATER QUALITY AND HEALTH

Module Identifier

EA30810

Module Title

WATER QUALITY AND HEALTH

Academic Year

2005/2006

Co-ordinator

Professor David Kay

Semester

Intended for use in future years

Next year offered

N/A

Next semester offered

N/A

Course delivery

Lecture

Seminars / Tutorials

5 Hours of Simulated Public Enquiry

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment Length/Details	Proportion
Semester Exam	2 Hours 2 hour written examination.	75%
Semester Assessment	Course Work: Proof of evidence and presentational materials for public enquiry and individual summary report, approximately 2,500 word equivalent.	25%
Supplementary Assessment	Resit examinations: 2 hour written examination 75%, In-course assessment marks to be carried forward.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:-

make a rational scientific judgement on the potential health impacts of water pollution though rigorous evaluation of the quality of research information in this area and a competent understanding of the main epidemiological approaches which have been used to investigate these interactions

demonstrate an understanding of the principal regulatory systems in the UK for water quality maintenance through contact with regulators, practitioners and academic researchers

apply skills of case preparation and presentation through a simulated public enquiry chaired by a Principal inspector of the Drinking Waters Inspectorate.

Aims

To introduce students to the Scientific investigation of the interaction between water quality and health of the exposed population. This introductory module seeks to provide students with a grounding in how environmental factors affect public health. It commences with an introduction to the available epidemiological methods and approaches which have been used to define the linkage between environmental contamination and its public health impacts. A series of case studies are then examined to illustrate the strength of this linkage and its scientific foundations.

Content

Approaches to environmental epidemiology

Retrospective/ Prospective/ Case-control/ Randomised designs.

Water Quality Indicators and Health

Recreational Water - Historical Assessment.

PHLS and USEPA studies

Recreational water: The UK Research Programme 1999-1994

Disease Burden and 'Health Gain' Assessment

Health-related 'standards' design, the 'Jersey' and WHO standards

Potential A Priori approaches to management

Catchment control and bacterial delivery

What are the health implications?

Water Quality Indicators and Health

Drinking Water Regulation WHO/EU/UK

Issues in drinking water quality

Bottled Waters

Private Water Supplies

Copper in Drinking Water

Water and Health

'Cryptosporidiosis'

Public Supplies

Regulation of drinking water quality in the UK

Outbreaks of water-borne disease

The role of the DWI

Public enquiry sessions

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6