Review: Markers of Potability, Sanitation Basic and Costs of Treatment and Microbiological Monitoring of Water for Human Consumption in Brazil

• Published in: Exposure and health Vol. 4; no. 4; pp. 217 - 228
• Main Authors: Emiliano, João Paulo Mota, André, Maria Cláudia Dantas Porfirio Borges
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Nature B.V 01-12-2012
• Subjects: Bacteria; Bacteriology; Chlorine; Consumption; Costs; Developing countries; Drinking water; E coli; Enzymes; Feces; Lactose; LDCs; Microorganisms; Monitoring; Public health; Quality control; Sanitation; Sewage; Taxonomy; Viruses; Water monitoring; Water quality; Water treatment; Waterborne diseases; Brazil
• ISSN: 2451-9766; 2451-9685
• DOI: 10.1007/s12403-012-0081-z

In this study we discuss the microbiological markers used to set up the water potability for human consumption, sanitation basics and costs of treatment and microbiological monitoring of water for human consumption in Brazil. The microbiological quality of water is closely associated with the concentration of chlorine. There is discussion of the exclusive adoption of the current microbiological markers used to attest the potability of the water for consumption and the necessity or not of adding new microbiological markers. The literature demonstrates some cases where monitoring showed failures to establish the safety of the water consumed and the evidence presented in this article cannot be ignored. The presence of contaminating microorganisms in drinking water and the high cost of waterborne diseases are closely linked with basic sanitation. It mainly affects developing countries, because of limited resources and sanitation basics. Each Brazilian spends US$ 0.25 per month intended to be subjected to evaluation and microbiological monitoring for quality control; it does not include analysis for fungi and H. pylori. 39 % of Brazilian families spend 8.00 % of income to pay the tariff of water and sewage. This suggests an expansion of the microbiological markers used to establish the potability of water.