Waterborne Diseases

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires' Disease (APLD) says new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommendations for legionella mitigation are a significant step forward in stopping the spread of the waterborne illness that is fatal in 10 to 30 percent of cases. "We applaud the EPA for setting new guidelines to better ensure the safety of our water," said Tonya Winders, Executive Director of the Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires' Disease. "Preventing the spread of Legionnaires' Disease is attainable with the right preparation and planning. We are calling on state legislatures to use these recommendations as the basis for implementing better policies to minimize opportunistic pathogens like legionella in our drinking water system." The Report of the Microbial and Disinfection Byproducts Rule Revisions Working Group contains 13 guidelines and includes a recommendation to "Raise the national minimum disinfectant residual requirement from the current value of 'detectable' and include a range for consideration of setting a minimum specific value of up to 0.5 mg/L for free chlorine and 0.7 mg/L for total chlorine for chloraminating systems." "Many water systems maintain only a 'detect' level of disinfectant free chlorine, which is simply not an effective level especially when it comes to killing or controlling legionella growth, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' Disease," said Dr. Hung Cheung, APLD Board Member and Founder & President of Cogency. "Increasing the minimum disinfectant level at the point of use is an important recommendation we have been advocating for a long time and it is one we hope all 50 states will use as their standard moving forward." The Working Group also has a recommendation to, "Develop and implement a legionella public awareness campaign targeting smaller-scale building owner/renters (e.g., single family residences) to elevate improved building water quality management practices." "We have ignored the lion's share of Legionnaires' Disease cases, which is individual, sporadic cases, for far too long," said environmentalist activist Erin Brockovich. "It is time to recognize the facts and focus on what is happening in people's homes. The recommendations are a big step forward in terms of improving water quality throughout the country." According to the CDC, 96 percent of all Legionnaires' Disease cases are individual, sporadic cases and not related to outbreaks. Legionnaires' Disease is a waterborne illness, caused by Legionella bacteria, which is present in biofilms in water systems. Disruptions and changes in our water systems can increase the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria. and the best way to minimize this risk, is to take a root cause approach. The Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires' Disease is recommending the following steps for prevention: Increase investment in water infrastructure and technology that more effectively reduces or even eliminates Legionella bacteria from the water going through a water treatment plant and the municipal distribution system. Utilize the EPA, working with water utilities, to take a more active role in minimizing legionella in the public water systems, including more robust monitoring and testing programs. Notify communities, including buildings and individual homeowners, when disruptions in the water supply system have occurred, as these disruptions could lead to higher contaminant levels, including Legionella, entering the water systems inside the buildings and homes. Require public health officials to conduct comprehensive investigations of Legionnaires' disease cases, including sampling drinking water at multiple points, to ensure the bacteria's true source is found. "We have seen a number of states such as Illinois incorporate these reforms into their water management requirements, but more states need to become more proactive in protecting the health of their residents," Winders said. "These guidelines are an important step in that process." The full Working Group report can be found here: For more information on Legionnaires' Disease and the Alliance to Prevent Legionnaires' Disease, visit the Alliance's website: . SOURCE Prevent Legionnaires'

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Zymo Research Corporation proudly announced its sponsorship of the upcoming "Microbes in Wastewater: Molecular Approaches in Pathogen and AMR Surveillance" symposium, scheduled for January 18th -19th, 2024, in Laguna Beach, California. Hosted by the Aladdin Bioinformatics Foundation, Los Angeles County Sanitation District, and University of California, Irvine, the symposium will bring together researchers, water sector experts, and industry leaders to explore advanced technologies for pathogen/AMR surveillance and sustainable wastewater management. The aim is to foster conversations on technologies and methods for the standardization of wastewater testing and surveillance. Esteemed keynote speakers Dr. Rita Colwell and Dr. Amy Pruden, experts in microbiology and environmental engineering, will share insights. Colwell, former NSF Director, brings expertise in microbial dynamics and waterborne diseases. Pruden, a leading expert in the microbiome of water systems, will discuss the intersection of microbiology and engineering in wastewater and antimicrobial resistance. Zymo Research's sponsorship emphasizes its dedication to advancing scientific knowledge in wastewater research while stressing the importance of public and environmental health. Diana Jia, Director of Marketing at Zymo Research, shared her enthusiasm, stating, "As a company committed to providing cutting-edge life science and NGS solutions, we are thrilled to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on standardizing wastewater surveillance. Our sponsorship reflects our expertise in pioneering technologies for sample collection, extraction, and the understanding of infectious disease and AMR monitoring in wastewater." Attendees are invited to explore Zymo Research's booth to learn about cutting-edge solutions enhancing molecular approaches in wastewater research. To register for the symposium, please visit: . For more information about Zymo Research, please visit: . About Zymo Research Corp. Zymo Research is a privately owned company that has been serving the scientific and diagnostics community with state-of-the-art molecular biology tools since 1994. "The Beauty of Science is to Make Things Simple" is their motto, which is reflected in all of their products, from epigenetics to DNA/RNA purification technologies. Historically recognized as the leader in epigenetics, Zymo Research is breaking boundaries with novel solutions for sample collection, microbiomic measurements, diagnostic devices, and NGS technologies & services that are high quality and simple to use. Follow Zymo Research on LinkedIn, X(Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram. SOURCE Zymo Research Corp.

Sustainable water fountains in 25 rural Malaysian communities provide clean, safe water, reducing waterborne illnesses ABU DHABI, UAE, Nov. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyond2020, the UAE-driven humanitarian initiative, has installed water filters in 25 communities in the Sabah and Sarawak regions of Malaysia, providing clean drinking water to 10,000 people. Continue Reading The UAE's Beyond2020 initiative has delivered safe drinking water to 10,000 Malaysians. The communities located in the Sabah and Sarawak regions of Malaysia traditionally rely on surface water from the river for drinking and subsistence. Beyond2020 was launched by the Zayed Sustainability Prize in 2019 in partnership with several leading organisations with the aim of furthering the humanitarian legacy of the UAE's Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, by providing sustainable technologies and solutions to vulnerable communities around the world. Malaysia marks the 17th deployment of the initiative, which will continue to offer life-transforming interventions to a broader number of beneficiaries worldwide, providing tech for good and fostering development that is inclusive and sustainable. Commenting on the installation in Malaysia, H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and COP28 President-Designate, said, "The latest Beyond2020 project in Malaysia reflects the UAE's commitment to humanitarianism and international sustainable development. Increasing climate impacts are undermining water security and affecting lives and livelihoods in many regions of the world, particularly across the Global South. As the UAE prepares to welcome the world at COP28, this project highlights the critical link between water and climate change and emphasises the potential for water innovations to uplift communities, and promote economic prosperity. This deployment contributes significantly to Malaysia's ongoing efforts to enhance access to reliable, clean water. We value the cooperation of Malaysia's Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change in implementing this initiative, which underscores the deep-rooted ties between our two countries." H.E. Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change, said: "Providing safe drinking water is a top priority for Malaysia, a country that has made significant strides in improving its water and sanitation systems over the past decade. The UAE's Beyond2020 initiative, which has delivered safe drinking water to 10,000 Malaysians, showcases how innovative solutions can tackle our water challenges, particularly in the rural areas. We recognise the importance of extending these benefits to all segments of society, empowering every individual to lead healthier, more productive lives." The communities impacted by the recently deployed environmentally friendly water filters are located in the Sabah and Sarawak regions of Malaysia, along the Rajang River. The people there have traditionally relied on surface water from the river for drinking and subsistence. Without the proper technology and systems to treat the water, however, villagers often experienced health issues. Children regularly suffered from diarrhea and dysentery, indicating the likelihood of waterborne parasites in the drinking water. Water interventions are necessary to ensure that vulnerable populations, particularly children, women and the elderly, have access to clean drinking water. Mansoor Mohamed Al Hamed, Chief Executive Officer, Mubadala Energy, said: "Investing in people and the communities we serve has always been at the heart of our mission. The latest Beyond2020 deployment in Malaysia exemplifies our dedication to humanitarianism and to deploying innovations aimed at relieving hardships faced by vulnerable communities. I am proud of this achievement, which fulfills the critical imperative to provide clean water to those in need through our community investment projects." In partnership with Wateroam – a social enterprise that specialises in designing simple, portable, durable, and affordable water filtration systems catered specifically for disaster relief and rural development, and the 2022 Zayed Sustainability Prize winner in the Water category – Beyond2020 deployed water filtration solutions, providing the communities with access to clean and safe drinking water. As the sizes of communities differ between varying regions along the river, Wateroam provided two different water filters, catering to the specific needs of each group – the CommfilterTM Plus and ROAMfilterTM Ultra. Both filters can remove over 99% of bacteria and viruses, but the CommfilterTM Plus provides safe drinking water for households and communities, while the ROAMfilterTM Ultra is designed to serve larger communities with its high flow rate. The filters utilise natural gravity flows or low wattage pumps, requiring little to no electricity to operate. They are easy to set-up and maintain, making it sustainable for locals to manage and use in the long-term. Malaysia is rich in water resources, but in recent years, water supplies have been under pressure due to a combination of population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation and the expansion of irrigated agriculture. The deployment of environmentally friendly filters that enable communities to meet their water needs sustainably supports the realisation of Malaysia's national water vision. Beyond2020 brings together a leading number of partners which include Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, BNP Paribas, Mubadala Energy and Masdar. As part of the initiative's impact to-date, a total of 17 deployments have been rolled out, including energy, health, water and food-related solutions, transforming the lives of over 221,800 people in the following countries: Nepal, Tanzania, Uganda, Jordan, Egypt, Cambodia, Madagascar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, The Philippines, Rwanda, Peru, Lebanon, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Vietnam. In addition to Malaysia, another 3 countries have been identified as deployment grounds going forward. Photo - Photo - SOURCE Zayed Sustainability Prize