Science from the Tap

Playing the Enteric Pathogen Slots in Las Vegas

Mask mandates, social distancing, and frequent hand washing became the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic. While these measures were directed at SARS-CoV-2, public health officials noticed that there were corresponding reductions in other respiratory viruses, such as influenza. But what impact, if any, did these measures have on the spread of enteric pathogens--the ones most commonly associated with diarrhea? This episode takes a "deep dive" into wastewater surveillance, but this time focusing on enteric pathogens, specifically norovirus, adenovirus, enterovirus, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia. By looking at how wastewater concentrations of these pathogens vary over time and by location, we can better understand how infections are spreading, where public health interventions might be appropriate, and even the implications for our drinking water systems. This is an AI-generated podcast created with NotebookLM based on a publication in Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology. The original article is available here: https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EW00620H [https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EW00620H]

Virus Roller Coasters and the Law of Averaging

The steady climb of a roller coaster generally leads to an exciting, stomach-turning descent. But in the world of drinking water, peaks can be stomach-turning in a much different way. To mitigate these scenarios, potable reuse systems that turn wastewater back into drinking water are often designed assuming worst-case scenarios (e.g., peak pathogen concentrations). While this is a conservative approach to public health protection, it can have adverse consequences on the sustainability of these treatment systems. This begs the question: is there another way to mitigate peak pathogen conditions? This episode takes a "deep dive" into disease outbreaks, the effects on wastewater pathogen concentrations, and the implications for the design of potable reuse systems. In particular, this episode focuses on hydraulics and the effects of mixing and dispersion on contaminant spikes. In other words, can we attenuate peak virus concentrations using the law of averaging ? This is an AI-generated podcast created with NotebookLM based on a publication in ACS ES&T Water. The original article is available here: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.1c00378 [https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.1c00378]

Pop Quiz: Is Your Drinking Water System Ready for SARS-CoV-2

There is always a baseline level of uncertainty when it comes to making critical decisions. But what do you do when there's a significant 'shock' to the system that causes this baseline uncertainty to spike? In 2020, when the genetic signal of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in wastewater, the field of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) was jumpstarted. But this also raised questions of whether this emerging pathogen posed any risks to public drinking water systems, particularly in the context of potable reuse. This episode takes a "deep dive" into the drinking water industry's response to SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, this episode describes an 'editorial perspective' written in response to questions of whether our potable reuse systems were sufficiently robust to handle this new pathogen. This editorial demonstrates that we can leverage prior knowledge, identify and conduct critical research to fill knowledge gaps, and continue to protect public health, even under extreme uncertainty. This is an AI-generated podcast created with NotebookLM based on a publication in Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology. The original article is available here: https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EW90031A [https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EW90031A]

All Aboard the Potable Reuse Treatment Train

Engineers don't always drive trains, and trains don't always ride on tracks. For decades, civil and environmental engineers have been designing potable reuse treatment trains to ensure that communities throughout the world have safe and reliable drinking water supplies, even in water-scarce regions. All of these treatment trains successfully convert wastewater into purified drinking water, but they don't always follow the same track. This episode takes a "deep dive" into potable reuse, providing examples from multiple cities throughout the world, to show how engineers are constantly innovating to ensure that water always comes out of your tap. This is an AI-generated podcast created with NotebookLM based on a publication in the Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology - Aqua. The original article is available here: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2013.041 [https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2013.041]

Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself, My Name Is O-3

What do you think of when you hear the word "ozone"? Maybe the hole in the ozone layer? Or the harmful lung irritant present in smog? In describing ozone, the American Lung Association uses the phrase "ozone is good up high, bad nearby". But what if I told you that ozone can also be good nearby? This episode takes a "deep dive" into the use of ozonation for drinking water and wastewater treatment. Ozone is a strong oxidant and disinfectant and also generates even more powerful hydroxyl radicals, resulting in an advanced oxidation process (AOP). This episode discusses how engineers leverage the power of ozone to destroy contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) that are commonly found in wastewater--an important step in making sure that recycled water is safe for public and environmental health. This is an AI-generated podcast created with NotebookLM based on a publication in Environmental Science & Technology. The original article is available here: https://doi.org/10.1021/es400781r [https://doi.org/10.1021/es400781r]