Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, College of Engineering, UAE University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Asia Pac J Public Health. 2010 Jul;22(3 Suppl):40S-47S. doi: 10.1177/1010539510373037.
Environmental problems and their potential impacts on public health vary in scale and time depending on the level and nature of pollutants. Although water is regarded as the source of all kinds of life on earth, it also acts as an efficient carrier of pollutants. Contamination of drinking water, agricultural water, or recreational water by infectious pathogens, chemical pollutants, or others can have significant impacts on public health. During the past few decades, waterborne diseases continued to spread and the health risks continued to increase. The correlation between water resources and public health is more evident in arid regions. This article discusses the availability of water resources in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and elaborates on the possible impacts of water resources on public health. It emphasizes the importance of preservation of water quality and prevention of waterborne diseases, which could be achieved through a coordinated effort from diverse groups and disciplines.
环境问题及其对公众健康的潜在影响因污染物的水平和性质而异，规模和时间也各不相同。虽然水被认为是地球上所有生命的源泉，但它也是污染物的有效载体。饮用水、农业用水或娱乐用水受到感染性病原体、化学污染物或其他污染物的污染，可能会对公众健康产生重大影响。在过去几十年中，水源性疾病继续传播，健康风险不断增加。水资源与公众健康之间的相关性在干旱地区更为明显。本文讨论了海湾合作委员会国家的水资源供应情况，并详细阐述了水资源可能对公众健康造成的影响。文章强调了保护水质和预防水源性疾病的重要性，这可以通过不同群体和学科的协调努力来实现。
