Monitoring for Protozoan Pathogens in Reclaimed Water: Florida’s Requirements and Experience

requirements for pathogen monitoring to Florida’s reuse rules (1). This paper provides background information on the protozoan pathogens Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum. The new monitoring requirements, sampling and analysis methods, and laboratory certification requirements are discussed. Results from this ongoing monitoring program are presented. In addition, this paper includes brief summaries of two Giardia infectivity studies. Protozoan Pathogens The protozoan pathogens (notably Cryptosporidium and Giardia) have received much attention over the last decade. The massive, 1993 outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis in Milwaukee (2) captured the attention of water resource managers worldwide. About 400,000 individuals became ill as a result of Cryptosporidium in the public drinking water system in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both Giardia and Cryptosporidium are recognized as the causes of significant diarrheal disease in the United States, as well as elsewhere in the world. Although one species of Cryptosporidium was first identified in 1907 in mice, Cryptosporidium was not known to be a human pathogen until 1976 (3). This gastrointestinal infection results in a watery diarrhea, which may be accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, anorexia, dehydration, and weight loss. The organism is spread by a fecal/oral route. Infection by Cryptosporidium is regarded as being self-limiting in immunocompetant individuals. Most individuals become asymptomatic within two weeks. It is a more serious infection in immunocompromise