Hazard Ranking Method for Populations Exposed to Arsenic in Private Water Supplies: Relation to Bedrock Geology

Helen Crabbe; Tony Fletcher; Rebecca Close; Michael J. Watts; E. Louise Ander; Pauline L. Smedley; Neville Q. Verlander; Martin Gregory; Daniel R.S. Middleton; David A. Polya; Mike Studden; Giovanni S. Leonardi

doi:10.3390/ijerph14121490

Hazard Ranking Method for Populations Exposed to Arsenic in Private Water Supplies: Relation to Bedrock Geology

Helen Crabbe^*, Tony Fletcher, Rebecca Close, Michael J. Watts, E. Louise Ander, Pauline L. Smedley, Neville Q. Verlander, Martin Gregory, Daniel R.S. Middleton, David A. Polya, Mike Studden, Giovanni S. Leonardi

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Approximately one million people in the UK are served by private water supplies (PWS) where main municipal water supply system connection is not practical or where PWS is the preferred option. Chronic exposure to contaminants in PWS may have adverse effects on health. SouthWest England is an area with elevated arsenic concentrations in groundwater and over 9000 domestic dwellings here are supplied by PWS. There remains uncertainty as to the extent of the population exposed to arsenic (As), and the factors predicting such exposure. We describe a hazard assessment model based on simplified geology with the potential to predict exposure to As in PWS. Households with a recorded PWS in Cornwall were recruited to take part in a water sampling programme from 2011 to 2013. Bedrock geologies were aggregated and classified into nine Simplified Bedrock Geological Categories (SBGC), plus a cross-cutting “mineralized” area. PWS were sampled by random selection within SBGCs and some 508 households volunteered for the study. Transformations of the data were explored to estimate the distribution of As concentrations for PWS by SBGC. Using the distribution per SBGC, we predict the proportion of dwellings that would be affected by high concentrations and rank the geologies according to hazard. Within most SBGCs, As concentrations were found to have log-normal distributions. Across these areas, the proportion of dwellings predicted to have drinking water over the prescribed concentration value (PCV) for As ranged from 0% to 20%. From these results, a pilot predictive model was developed calculating the proportion of PWS above the PCV for As and hazard ranking supports local decision making and prioritization. With further development and testing, this can help local authorities predict the number of dwellings that might fail the PCV for As, based on bedrock geology. The model presented here for Cornwall could be applied in areas with similar geologies. Application of the method requires independent validation and further groundwater-derived PWS sampling on other geological formations.

Original language	English
Article number	1490
Journal	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume	14
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14121490
Publication status	Published - 01 Dec 2017
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank all the householders who participated in the study. PHE colleagues are thanked for their support and input including the South West PHE Centre for field work co-ordination, recruitment of households and project management. Public health students also helped to recruit householders to the study. We thank the Cornwall Council Environmental Protection Team for access to the private water supplies data and for dissemination of results and advice to householders; Helen Taylor and Elliott Hamilton (BGS) for water sampling in the field and laboratory analyses; Stephen Robjohns, PHE Toxicology Group for toxicological and water advice; Zori Daraktchieva and Jon Miles (retired) of the PHE Radon Group for discussions about the application of the radon log-normal probability method are thanked. PHE designed the tracking proof of concept study, funded the study design, field collection and analysis within the Environmental Public Health Tracking programme. All other costs were met by the authors’ organisations. DM acknowledges the receipt of an NERC/CASE (with BGS) Ph.D. studentship (Contract No. GA/125/017, BUFI Ref: S204.2) PHE covered the costs to publish in open access.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Keywords

Arsenic
Environmental public health tracking
Geology
Hazard and exposure assessment
Private water supplies
Public health risk

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pollution
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.3390/ijerph14121490Licence: CC BY

Hazard Ranking Method for Populations Exposed to Arsenic in Private Water Supplies: Relation to Bedrock Geology
Copyright 2021 the authors. This is an open access article published under a Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the author and source are cited.
Final published version, 1.47 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Crabbe, H., Fletcher, T., Close, R., Watts, M. J., Ander, E. L., Smedley, P. L., Verlander, N. Q., Gregory, M., Middleton, D. R. S., Polya, D. A., Studden, M., & Leonardi, G. S. (2017). Hazard Ranking Method for Populations Exposed to Arsenic in Private Water Supplies: Relation to Bedrock Geology. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(12), Article 1490. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14121490

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abstract = "Approximately one million people in the UK are served by private water supplies (PWS) where main municipal water supply system connection is not practical or where PWS is the preferred option. Chronic exposure to contaminants in PWS may have adverse effects on health. SouthWest England is an area with elevated arsenic concentrations in groundwater and over 9000 domestic dwellings here are supplied by PWS. There remains uncertainty as to the extent of the population exposed to arsenic (As), and the factors predicting such exposure. We describe a hazard assessment model based on simplified geology with the potential to predict exposure to As in PWS. Households with a recorded PWS in Cornwall were recruited to take part in a water sampling programme from 2011 to 2013. Bedrock geologies were aggregated and classified into nine Simplified Bedrock Geological Categories (SBGC), plus a cross-cutting “mineralized” area. PWS were sampled by random selection within SBGCs and some 508 households volunteered for the study. Transformations of the data were explored to estimate the distribution of As concentrations for PWS by SBGC. Using the distribution per SBGC, we predict the proportion of dwellings that would be affected by high concentrations and rank the geologies according to hazard. Within most SBGCs, As concentrations were found to have log-normal distributions. Across these areas, the proportion of dwellings predicted to have drinking water over the prescribed concentration value (PCV) for As ranged from 0% to 20%. From these results, a pilot predictive model was developed calculating the proportion of PWS above the PCV for As and hazard ranking supports local decision making and prioritization. With further development and testing, this can help local authorities predict the number of dwellings that might fail the PCV for As, based on bedrock geology. The model presented here for Cornwall could be applied in areas with similar geologies. Application of the method requires independent validation and further groundwater-derived PWS sampling on other geological formations.",

keywords = "Arsenic, Environmental public health tracking, Geology, Hazard and exposure assessment, Private water supplies, Public health risk",

author = "Helen Crabbe and Tony Fletcher and Rebecca Close and Watts, {Michael J.} and Ander, {E. Louise} and Smedley, {Pauline L.} and Verlander, {Neville Q.} and Martin Gregory and Middleton, {Daniel R.S.} and Polya, {David A.} and Mike Studden and Leonardi, {Giovanni S.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank all the householders who participated in the study. PHE colleagues are thanked for their support and input including the South West PHE Centre for field work co-ordination, recruitment of households and project management. Public health students also helped to recruit householders to the study. We thank the Cornwall Council Environmental Protection Team for access to the private water supplies data and for dissemination of results and advice to householders; Helen Taylor and Elliott Hamilton (BGS) for water sampling in the field and laboratory analyses; Stephen Robjohns, PHE Toxicology Group for toxicological and water advice; Zori Daraktchieva and Jon Miles (retired) of the PHE Radon Group for discussions about the application of the radon log-normal probability method are thanked. PHE designed the tracking proof of concept study, funded the study design, field collection and analysis within the Environmental Public Health Tracking programme. All other costs were met by the authors{\textquoteright} organisations. DM acknowledges the receipt of an NERC/CASE (with BGS) Ph.D. studentship (Contract No. GA/125/017, BUFI Ref: S204.2) PHE covered the costs to publish in open access. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.",

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Crabbe, H, Fletcher, T, Close, R, Watts, MJ, Ander, EL, Smedley, PL, Verlander, NQ, Gregory, M, Middleton, DRS, Polya, DA, Studden, M & Leonardi, GS 2017, 'Hazard Ranking Method for Populations Exposed to Arsenic in Private Water Supplies: Relation to Bedrock Geology', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 14, no. 12, 1490. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14121490

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hazard Ranking Method for Populations Exposed to Arsenic in Private Water Supplies: Relation to Bedrock Geology

AU - Crabbe, Helen

AU - Fletcher, Tony

AU - Close, Rebecca

AU - Watts, Michael J.

AU - Ander, E. Louise

AU - Smedley, Pauline L.

AU - Verlander, Neville Q.

AU - Gregory, Martin

AU - Middleton, Daniel R.S.

AU - Polya, David A.

AU - Studden, Mike

AU - Leonardi, Giovanni S.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank all the householders who participated in the study. PHE colleagues are thanked for their support and input including the South West PHE Centre for field work co-ordination, recruitment of households and project management. Public health students also helped to recruit householders to the study. We thank the Cornwall Council Environmental Protection Team for access to the private water supplies data and for dissemination of results and advice to householders; Helen Taylor and Elliott Hamilton (BGS) for water sampling in the field and laboratory analyses; Stephen Robjohns, PHE Toxicology Group for toxicological and water advice; Zori Daraktchieva and Jon Miles (retired) of the PHE Radon Group for discussions about the application of the radon log-normal probability method are thanked. PHE designed the tracking proof of concept study, funded the study design, field collection and analysis within the Environmental Public Health Tracking programme. All other costs were met by the authors’ organisations. DM acknowledges the receipt of an NERC/CASE (with BGS) Ph.D. studentship (Contract No. GA/125/017, BUFI Ref: S204.2) PHE covered the costs to publish in open access. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2017/12/1

Y1 - 2017/12/1

N2 - Approximately one million people in the UK are served by private water supplies (PWS) where main municipal water supply system connection is not practical or where PWS is the preferred option. Chronic exposure to contaminants in PWS may have adverse effects on health. SouthWest England is an area with elevated arsenic concentrations in groundwater and over 9000 domestic dwellings here are supplied by PWS. There remains uncertainty as to the extent of the population exposed to arsenic (As), and the factors predicting such exposure. We describe a hazard assessment model based on simplified geology with the potential to predict exposure to As in PWS. Households with a recorded PWS in Cornwall were recruited to take part in a water sampling programme from 2011 to 2013. Bedrock geologies were aggregated and classified into nine Simplified Bedrock Geological Categories (SBGC), plus a cross-cutting “mineralized” area. PWS were sampled by random selection within SBGCs and some 508 households volunteered for the study. Transformations of the data were explored to estimate the distribution of As concentrations for PWS by SBGC. Using the distribution per SBGC, we predict the proportion of dwellings that would be affected by high concentrations and rank the geologies according to hazard. Within most SBGCs, As concentrations were found to have log-normal distributions. Across these areas, the proportion of dwellings predicted to have drinking water over the prescribed concentration value (PCV) for As ranged from 0% to 20%. From these results, a pilot predictive model was developed calculating the proportion of PWS above the PCV for As and hazard ranking supports local decision making and prioritization. With further development and testing, this can help local authorities predict the number of dwellings that might fail the PCV for As, based on bedrock geology. The model presented here for Cornwall could be applied in areas with similar geologies. Application of the method requires independent validation and further groundwater-derived PWS sampling on other geological formations.

AB - Approximately one million people in the UK are served by private water supplies (PWS) where main municipal water supply system connection is not practical or where PWS is the preferred option. Chronic exposure to contaminants in PWS may have adverse effects on health. SouthWest England is an area with elevated arsenic concentrations in groundwater and over 9000 domestic dwellings here are supplied by PWS. There remains uncertainty as to the extent of the population exposed to arsenic (As), and the factors predicting such exposure. We describe a hazard assessment model based on simplified geology with the potential to predict exposure to As in PWS. Households with a recorded PWS in Cornwall were recruited to take part in a water sampling programme from 2011 to 2013. Bedrock geologies were aggregated and classified into nine Simplified Bedrock Geological Categories (SBGC), plus a cross-cutting “mineralized” area. PWS were sampled by random selection within SBGCs and some 508 households volunteered for the study. Transformations of the data were explored to estimate the distribution of As concentrations for PWS by SBGC. Using the distribution per SBGC, we predict the proportion of dwellings that would be affected by high concentrations and rank the geologies according to hazard. Within most SBGCs, As concentrations were found to have log-normal distributions. Across these areas, the proportion of dwellings predicted to have drinking water over the prescribed concentration value (PCV) for As ranged from 0% to 20%. From these results, a pilot predictive model was developed calculating the proportion of PWS above the PCV for As and hazard ranking supports local decision making and prioritization. With further development and testing, this can help local authorities predict the number of dwellings that might fail the PCV for As, based on bedrock geology. The model presented here for Cornwall could be applied in areas with similar geologies. Application of the method requires independent validation and further groundwater-derived PWS sampling on other geological formations.

KW - Arsenic

KW - Environmental public health tracking

KW - Geology

KW - Hazard and exposure assessment

KW - Private water supplies

KW - Public health risk

U2 - 10.3390/ijerph14121490

DO - 10.3390/ijerph14121490

M3 - Article

C2 - 29194429

AN - SCOPUS:85036625096

SN - 1661-7827

VL - 14

JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

IS - 12

M1 - 1490

ER -

Hazard Ranking Method for Populations Exposed to Arsenic in Private Water Supplies: Relation to Bedrock Geology

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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