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. 2023 Sep 26;20(19):6833.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph20196833.

Informing ASR Treatment Practices in a Florida Aquifer through a Human Health Risk Approach

Anna Gitter  1 , Kristina D Mena  1 , John T Lisle  2
Affiliations

Informing ASR Treatment Practices in a Florida Aquifer through a Human Health Risk Approach

Anna Gitter et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) can augment water supplies and hydrologic flows under varying climatic conditions. However, imposing drinking water regulations on ASR practices, including pre-treatment before injection into the aquifer, remains arguable. Microbial inactivation data-Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, poliovirus type 1 and Cryptosporidium parvum-were used in a human health risk assessment to identify how the storage time of recharged water in the Floridan Aquifer enhances pathogen inactivation, thereby mitigating the human health risks associated with ingestion. We used a quantitative microbial risk assessment to evaluate the risks for a gastrointestinal infection (GI) and the associated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per person per year. The risk of developing a GI infection for drinking water no longer exceeded the suggested annual risk threshold (1 × 10-4) by days 31, 1, 52 and 80 for each pathogen, respectively. DALYs per person per year no longer exceeded the World Health Organization threshold (1 × 10-6) by days 27, <1, 43 and 72. In summary, storage time in the aquifer yields a significant reduction in health risk. The findings emphasize that considering microbial inactivation, caused by storage time and geochemical conditions within ASR storage zones, is critical for recharge water treatment processes.

Keywords: DALYs; QMRA; aquifer; aquifer storage and recovery; human health; pathogens; water quality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest, and the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationship that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results. Any use of trade, firm or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Locations of the aquifer sampling sites.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Decrease in the risk of infection associated with storage time and microbial inactivation in the groundwater system for drinking water exposure. The suggested annual risk of infection threshold (dashed line) of 1 infection per 10,000 individuals (1 × 10−4) was used as a reference when evaluating environmental conditions and health risks.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Decrease in the risk of infection associated with storage time and microbial inactivation in the groundwater system for swimming exposure. The suggested annual risk of infection threshold (dashed line) of 1 infection per 10,000 individuals (1 × 10−4) was used as a reference when evaluating environmental conditions and health risks.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Decreasing trends in the DALYs per person per year associated with ingestion of pathogens in water that would be used for drinking. The WHO DALYs threshold (dashed line) of 1 × 10−6 DALYs per person per year was utilized as the reference threshold.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Decreasing trends in the DALYs per person per year associated with ingestion of pathogens in water while swimming. The WHO DALYs threshold (dashed line) of 1 × 10−6 DALYs per person per year was utilized as the reference threshold.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Pyne D. Aquifer Storage Recovery: A Guide to Groundwater Recharge through Wells. 2nd ed. ASR Systems; Gainesville, FL, USA: 2005.
    1. National Park Service Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) [(accessed on 10 July 2023)];2023 Available online: https://www.evergladesrestoration.gov.
    1. South Florida Water Management District Everglades. [(accessed on 10 July 2023)];2023 Available online: https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/cerp-project-planning.
    1. USEPA . USEPA Ground Water Rule. Volume 65574–65660 USEPA; Washington, DC, USA: 2006.
    1. Florida Department of Environmental Protection . Drinking Water Standards, Monitoring, and Reporting. Volume Rules 102–828 Florida Department of Environmental Protection; Tallahassee, FL, USA: 2013.

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