A database for use in the epidemiological surveillance of potential changes in drinking water quality in South Africa

Abstract

The current project "Epidemiological surveillance of potential changes in drinking water quality in South Africa" is a continuation of and extension of a previous project "Epidemiological studies pertaining to the possible reclamation and reuse of treated sewage effluent in the Cape Peninsula". In the former study certain medical indicators were identified as being of particular relevance in monitoring potential changes in the health status of communities subjected to changing water supplies. Collation and analysis of data collected specifically for a particular situation is expensive and time consuming. The study presented here examined, inter alia, the possibility of using routinely collected public health data. The health indicators chosen for detailed analysis were mortality, morbidity from general practice, and birth defects. Where possible an uniform data set has been assembled and made available on a computer tape as a supplement to this report. A copy of this data is also lodged with the Computer Centre for Water Research at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg.

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