Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Infectious Diseases, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1042, USA.
Am J Public Health. 2012 Oct;102(10):e49-54. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300738. Epub 2012 Aug 16.
The purpose of this study was to assess water quality in migrant farmworker camps in North Carolina and determine associations of water quality with migrant farmworker housing characteristics.
We collected data from 181 farmworker camps in eastern North Carolina during the 2010 agricultural season. Water samples were tested using the Total Coliform Rule (TCR) and housing characteristics were assessed using North Carolina Department of Labor standards.
A total of 61 (34%) of 181 camps failed the TCR. Total coliform bacteria were found in all 61 camps, with Escherichia coli also being detected in 2. Water quality was not associated with farmworker housing characteristics or with access to registered public water supplies. Multiple official violations of water quality standards had been reported for the registered public water supplies.
Water supplied to farmworker camps often does not comply with current standards and poses a great risk to the physical health of farmworkers and surrounding communities. Expansion of water monitoring to more camps and changes to the regulations such as testing during occupancy and stronger enforcement are needed to secure water safety.
本研究旨在评估北卡罗来纳州流动农民工营地的水质，并确定水质与农民工住房特征之间的关联。
我们在 2010 年农业季节期间从北卡罗来纳州东部的 181 个农民工营地收集数据。使用总大肠菌群规则（TCR）测试水样，使用北卡罗来纳州劳工部标准评估住房特征。
共有 181 个营地中的 61 个（34%）未通过 TCR。所有 61 个营地都发现了总大肠菌群细菌，其中 2 个营地也检测到了大肠杆菌。水质与农民工住房特征或获得注册公共供水无关。已报告注册公共供水多次违反水质标准。
供应给农民工营地的水通常不符合当前标准，对农民工和周围社区的身体健康构成极大风险。需要扩大水监测范围，增加更多的营地，并对法规进行修改，例如在居住期间进行测试和加强执行力度，以确保用水安全。
