Scope

Water-related health forms a crucial and integral component of our daily quality of life. Health-related water research is undertaken with the aim of improving water quality and hygiene practices in order to save lives and reduce the cost and effort in treating diseases and their symptoms.

This Impact Area continues to play an essential role in providing an integrating framework for all the WRC’s health-related research and development initiatives, identifying gaps and negotiating the initiation of gap-filling research in crucial areas. In fulfilling this role, the Impact Area assumes the responsibility for the structuring of a co-ordinated, needs-driven, dynamic health-related water research portfolio on behalf of the WRC, with contributing projects being funded and managed in the appropriate KSA’s.

The focus is on water-linked health impacts associated with microbial or chemical contamination or transferred via water-associated vectors. The Impact Area aims to improve knowledge regarding the origin, survival and persistence of microbial, biological and chemical agents that may pollute water and may affect human health. The Impact Area supports the development and utilisation of methodologies to identify and quantify the occurrence of pathogens and contaminants in water, as well as risk assessment and epidemiological studies.

A holistic, multidisciplinary approach is followed in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the origin/sources and spatial extent of pollution; water usage patterns; the effects of degraded water quality on human and animal health and the need for, and efficiency of, various water treatment options. The development of guidelines, protocols, manuals and pamphlets as tools to disseminate research findings is supported. The emphasis is on a pro-active approach to identify and address causes, rather than on a passive response to addressing symptoms. This approach should ensure research products that are relevant, user-friendly, practical and scientifically valid.

Objectives

The primary objective of this Impact Area is to contribute to the protection of human health by investigating the sources, occurrence, persistence and control of water-related diseases and other water-related health problems.

Secondary objectives are to:

• Develop appropriate techniques, technologies and systems for monitoring of potentially harmful pollutants in water
• Obtain adequate understanding of the origin, survival and persistence of, and inter-relationships between, microbial, chemical and other biological and toxic pollutants in water
• Assess the impacts (actual and potential) of pollutants on human health by performing epidemiological investigations and developing health-risk assessment tools
• Investigate the effects of the environmental change on health (e.g. the impact of global warming on the spread of malaria; the link between climate variability and epidemics caused by water-borne diseases)
• Develop scientifically sound educational material on health, hygiene and the effects of and prevention of pollution, and the relationship between these
• Provide guidance for appropriate communication, awareness-building and management strategies
• Contribute to the general health of animals and of the environment in pursuing all of the above objectives.

Budget Allocation

The funding for research projects in this Impact Area is supported by the individual water-centred KSAs.