Scientific Results

ID:
publications-4417

Type:
article

Year:
2010

Authors:
Teunis, Peter and Teunis, Peter and Xu, Minhua and Xu, M. and Xu, Minhua and Fleming, Kala K. and Fleming, Kala and Yang, Jian and Yang, Jingjing and Yang, J. and Yang, J. and Yang, Jian and Moe, Christine L. and Moe, Christine L. and LeChevallier, Mark W. and LeChevallier, M. W. and LeChevallier, Mark W.

Title:
Enteric Virus Infection Risk from Intrusion of Sewage into a Drinking Water Distribution Network

Venue/Journal:
Environmental Science & Technology

DOI:
10.1021/es101266k

Research type:

Water System:

Technical Focus:

Abstract:
Contaminants from the soil surrounding drinking water distribution systems are thought to not enter the drinking water when sufficient internal pressure is maintained. Pressure transients may cause short intervals of negative pressure, and the soil near drinking water pipes often contains fecal material due to the proximity of sewage lines, so that a pressure event may cause intrusion of pathogens. This paper presents a risk model for predicting intrusion and dilution of viruses and their transport to consumers. Random entry and dilution of virus was simulated by embedding the hydraulic model into a Monte Carlo simulation. Special attention was given to adjusting for the coincidence of virus presence and use of tap water, as independently occurring short-term events within the longer interval that the virus is predicted to travel in any branch of the distribution system. The probability that a consumer drinks water contaminated with virus is small, but when this happens the virus concentration tends to be...

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