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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
5099.0: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 - 1:10 PM

Abstract #114550

Predictability of Swimming Prohibitions by Observational Parameters

Joseph Kuntz, BS, RS and Robert Murray, MS. Laboratory, City of Stamford Health Department, 888 Washington Blvd, 8 th floor, Stamford, CT 06901, 2039775843, jkuntz@ci.stamford.ct.us

Using compiled bacterial analyses to predict water quality when certain conditions are observed, provides a way to establish a public health policy that is proactive. Conditions were reviewed using a geometric mean specifying different parameters which included the amount of rain in previous days, wind direction and speed, tides and high tide height, water temperature, drought or flood conditions for the season, different materials coming into the swimming areas and the location and amount of any sewage spills. Only three events showed statistical significance (Chi-Squared P < 0.0001): rain events of 1.00 inch or more in a 24 hour period under normal weather conditions, rain events in a 24 hour period under drought conditions over 0.5 inches, and when "floatable" material from distant sewage spills (i.e. grease balls) are present at a beach. This evaluation enables a public health policy to be developed that restricts swimming when certain conditions are present without waiting for bacteriological examinations to prove that a problem exists.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Environmental Health,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

[ Recorded presentation ] Recorded presentation

Frameworks for Future Consideration

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA