1. World problems
  2. Pollution of water by infected faeces

Pollution of water by infected faeces

  • Microbial pollution of water supplies with human excreta
  • Faecal transmission of disease

Background

Over 2 million tonnes of human excrement is produced daily in cities around the world; less than 2% is treated and the rest discharged into watercourses or into the soil.

Incidence

Problems of microbial quality and occasional outbreaks of waterborne diseases have been reported across the European region, even from countries with high standards of supply. Systems for detecting waterborne disease are generally poor, and in practice only the larger outbreaks have been detected. Microbial pollution is especially prevalent in small supply systems and those with intermittent service. Private supplies may not have been subject to such stringent standards as public supplies.

Broader

Aggravates

Related

SDG

Sustainable Development Goal #1: No PovertySustainable Development Goal #6: Clean Water and SanitationSustainable Development Goal #7: Affordable and Clean EnergySustainable Development Goal #12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Metadata

Database
World problems
Type
(E) Emanations of other problems
Subject
  • undefined » Bacteriology
  • undefined » Purchasing, supplying
  • undefined » Water
  • undefined » Human
  • undefined » Pathology
  • undefined » Effluent
  • undefined » Pollution
  • Content quality
    Presentable
     Presentable
    Language
    English
    Last update
    Oct 4, 2020