Fast Facts

Disease

Each year between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaire's disease in the United States ².

Agricultural Uses of Water

There are an estimated 238,000 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in the United States that produce nearly 500 million tons of manure ⁴.

Industrial Uses of Water

The National Water Quality Inventory (2000) reported that agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution (from industrial and sewage treatment plants) is the leading source of water quality impacts on rivers and lakes and the second largest source of impairment to wetlands. It is also a major contributor to contamination of surveyed estuaries and ground water ⁵.

Medical Uses of Water

Most healthcare facilities follow certain guidelines to ensure that water is safe for medical use during medical procedures.

Regulations

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues effluent guidelines and regulations that are technology-based and are developed for specific industrial categories ³.

Top Settings - Outbreak-Causing Exposures**

• Hospital/Health Care Facility/Nursing Home (14%)
• Community/Municipality (12%)
• Factory/Industrial Facility (12%)
• Backcountry (10%)
• Camp/Cabin (7%)
• Hotel/Motel (5%)
• Park (5%)
• Public Outdoor Area (4%)
• Waste Water Treatment Plant (4%)
• Indoor Place of Work/Office (3%)
• Other (24%)
  
  

For a complete listing of water-related surveillance data, see CDC's Surveillance Summaries for Waterborne Disease and Outbreaks.