Supplying clean drinking water to protect public health is a key research priority for Canadians. Research in this theme focused on the links between the quality of water supplies, drinking water quality and public health.

Chlorination continues to be the most frequently used technology for controlling pathogens in Canadian drinking water. With this has come the concern for the health effects of halogenated disinfection by-products such as trihalomethanes. Research in this theme developed novel methods for detecting these by-products and assessing their associated health risks.

Water and public health projects

• Novel polar disinfection by-products and health risk tradeoffs for drinking water disinfection, led by Dr. Steve Hrudey, Department of Public Health Services, University of Alberta
• Speciation of arsenic in drinking water and health effects from arsenic exposure, led by Dr. X. Chris Le, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta
• Understanding the biological mechanism for a relationship between exposure to trihalomethanes and adverse pregnancy outcomes, co-led by Dr. Linda Dodds, Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit, Dalhousie University and Dr. Will King, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen’s University
• Watershed events and waterborne transmission of Cryptosporidium, led by Dr. Judith Isaac-Renton, BC Centre for Disease Control Laboratory Services, University of British Columbia