ENVS9731 Public Health Aspects of Water Quality GE

The topic is designed to provide an understanding of how drinking water can impact on human health and how to manage and effectively communicate risks associated with human exposure to hazards potentially associated with drinking water supplies. The topic will outline the basic disciplines required to understand and assess health risks such as epidemiology, toxicology and microbiology. It will then use these disciplines to assess health risks from a range of exposure to both chemical and microbiological hazards in potable water supplies using the 'risk' framework. The topic will cover all aspects of drinking water's ability to impact on public health from the perceptions and expectations of the public regarding a 'safe' water supply through the regulatory aspects of developing guidelines based on public health to assessing and managing risk associated with chemical, radiological and biological (including microbiological) hazards in water from catchment through treatment, reticulation and supply to customer tap.

This topic aims to provide students with an understanding of how drinking water can impact on human health using a risk based framework and how to manage and effectively communicate risks associated with human exposure to drinking water.

1. Describe public health issues relating to the supply of safe drinking water
2. Interpret and evaluate epidemiological, toxicological and microbiological data relevant to water quality
3. Appreciate the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the provision of safe drinking water
4. Use risk analysis to generate management and communication solutions based on the scientific principles of risk assessment
5. Recommend a whole of catchment approach and the use of preventive measures and multiple barriers to minimise public health risks associated with drinking water