SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Jun 15;15(6):1266. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15061266.
Wastewater treatment facilities in South Africa are obliged to make provision for wastewater effluent quality management, with the aim of securing the integrity of the surrounding watersheds and environments. The Department of Water Affairs has documented regulatory parameters that have, over the years, served as a guideline for quality monitoring/management purposes. However, these guidelines have not been regularly updated and this may have contributed to some of the water quality anomalies. Studies have shown that promoting the monitoring of the current routinely monitored parameters (both microbial and physicochemical) may not be sufficient. Organisms causing illnesses or even outbreaks, such as pathogens with their characteristic environmental resilience, are not included in the guidelines. In South Africa, studies that have been conducted on the occurrence of pathogens in domestic and wastewater effluent have made it apparent that these pathogens should also be monitored. The importance of effective wastewater management as one of the key aspects towards protecting surrounding environments and receiving watersheds, as well as protecting public health, is highlighted in this review. Emphasis on the significance of the pathogen in wastewater is a particular focus.
南非的废水处理设施有义务进行废水处理质量的管理，以确保周围流域和环境的完整性。水务部制定了有法规参数，这些参数多年来一直是质量监测/管理的指导方针。然而，这些准则并没有定期更新，这可能是导致一些水质异常的原因之一。研究表明，仅仅监测当前例行监测的参数（包括微生物和理化参数）可能还不够。一些病原体具有其特有的环境抗性，会引起疾病甚至疫情爆发，但这些病原体并没有包含在准则中。在南非，对国内和废水处理厂废水中病原体的发生情况进行的研究表明，这些病原体也应该进行监测。本综述强调了有效的废水管理作为保护周围环境和接收流域以及保护公众健康的关键方面之一的重要性。特别强调了废水中病原体的重要性。
