ABSTRACT
Water as the most important food resource 146 Worldwide burden of disease related to water
for drinking and agricultural use 148 Disease emergence related to water, food and
food animals 149 Infections transmitted through water 149 Contamination of foods by water 153
Standards and legislation 155 Sewage, animal waste and risk 160 Problems with Cryptosporidium 162 Water use in food production, retail and
households 164 Summary 165 Sources of information and further reading 165
Water is a universal requirement for organic life and is essential for survival. Water is also used in the removal of waste and its treatment. The treatment of sewage and other wastes is important in ensuring drinking water supplies are not a source of diarrhoeal diseases. In developed countries water treatment has resulted in supplies being relatively safe from contamination but cryptospori diosis is still an important infection in these countries. Where chlorination or other disinfection is not used there is a risk of infection. Contaminated drinking water and poor levels of sanitation are still an impor tant cause of morbidity and mortality, particu - larly among young children.
