TY - JOUR

T1 - Microbiological water quality and derived health risks from exposure to ornamental water fountains in the city of Hannover

AU - Carpio Vallejo, Estefania

AU - Düker, Urda

AU - Meyer, Franziska

AU - Berding, Ulrich

AU - Nogueira, Regina

N1 - Funding Information: The authors are grateful to Ms. Claudia Helle for her assistance during lab work. This research was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the RES:Z call: Resource‐optimized city of the future; research project TransMiT—Resource‐optimized transformation of combined and separate drainage systems in existing quarters with high population pressure, Subproject Effect of BGI on local climate/backyards, grant number 033W105A UP5.

PY - 2023/12/26

Y1 - 2023/12/26

N2 - Ornamental fountains are attractive urban infrastructures helping cities to cope with global warming, as water sprays have great cooling effects due to evaporative properties; however, exposure to microbiologically impaired water from ornamental fountains during recreational activities may result in adverse health outcomes for the exposed population. This study assesses the microbial water quality of four ornamental water fountains (Blätterbrunnen, Körtingbrunnen, Klaus–Bahlsen–Brunnen, and Marstallbrunnen) and performs a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) for children using Escherichia coli, Enterococci, and Salmonella to quantify the probability of gastrointestinal illnesses and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to quantify the risk of dermal infections. Samples were collected fortnightly in two campaigns in 2020 and 2021 and processed to determine bacterial concentrations. Data on exposure time were obtained during field observations on the selected fountains; a total of 499 people were observed of which 30% were children. Mean bacterial concentrations ranged from 1.6 × 101 to 6.1 × 102 most probable number (MPN)/100 mL for E. coli, 1.2 × 101–1.2 × 103 MPN/100 mL for Enterococci, 8.6 × 103–3.1 × 105 CFU/100 mL for Salmonella, and 2.5 × 103–3.2 × 104 MPN/100 mL for P. aeruginosa. The results of the QMRA study showed that the USEPA illness rate of 36 NEEAR-gastrointestinal illnesses/1000 was exceeded for Enterococci at the Körtingbrunnen, Klaus–Bahlsen–Brunnen, and Marstallbrunnen fountains and for Salmonella and P. aeruginosa at the Körtingbrunnen fountain, suggesting that exposure to microbiologically contaminated water from ornamental fountains may pose a health risk to children. The scenario analysis shows the importance of keeping low bacterial concentrations in ornamental fountains so that the risk of illness/infection to children does not exceed the USEPA illness rate benchmark.

AB - Ornamental fountains are attractive urban infrastructures helping cities to cope with global warming, as water sprays have great cooling effects due to evaporative properties; however, exposure to microbiologically impaired water from ornamental fountains during recreational activities may result in adverse health outcomes for the exposed population. This study assesses the microbial water quality of four ornamental water fountains (Blätterbrunnen, Körtingbrunnen, Klaus–Bahlsen–Brunnen, and Marstallbrunnen) and performs a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) for children using Escherichia coli, Enterococci, and Salmonella to quantify the probability of gastrointestinal illnesses and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to quantify the risk of dermal infections. Samples were collected fortnightly in two campaigns in 2020 and 2021 and processed to determine bacterial concentrations. Data on exposure time were obtained during field observations on the selected fountains; a total of 499 people were observed of which 30% were children. Mean bacterial concentrations ranged from 1.6 × 101 to 6.1 × 102 most probable number (MPN)/100 mL for E. coli, 1.2 × 101–1.2 × 103 MPN/100 mL for Enterococci, 8.6 × 103–3.1 × 105 CFU/100 mL for Salmonella, and 2.5 × 103–3.2 × 104 MPN/100 mL for P. aeruginosa. The results of the QMRA study showed that the USEPA illness rate of 36 NEEAR-gastrointestinal illnesses/1000 was exceeded for Enterococci at the Körtingbrunnen, Klaus–Bahlsen–Brunnen, and Marstallbrunnen fountains and for Salmonella and P. aeruginosa at the Körtingbrunnen fountain, suggesting that exposure to microbiologically contaminated water from ornamental fountains may pose a health risk to children. The scenario analysis shows the importance of keeping low bacterial concentrations in ornamental fountains so that the risk of illness/infection to children does not exceed the USEPA illness rate benchmark.

KW - health risks

KW - ornamental fountains

KW - QMRA

KW - risk of illness/infection

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85153187845&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/risa.14145

DO - 10.1111/risa.14145

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85153187845

VL - 44

SP - 24

EP - 39

JO - Risk analysis

JF - Risk analysis

SN - 0272-4332

IS - 1

ER -