ABSTRACT
Every year, direct and indirect contamination of drinking water by wastewater causes innumerable water-related diseases. The situation varies dramatically among developing and developed countries. The presence of pathogens of fecal origin causes millions of deaths in developing countries. Preventing the outbreak of water-related diseases also requires constant vigilance of the water supply chain in developed countries. This chapter introduces the most common microbiological risks related to the contamination of drinking water by wastewater of human origin. The occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals in wastewater, raw water and treated drinking water will be introduced in more detail, since it is a well-studied subject and gives a good example of the transportation and fate of substances in the urban hydrological cycle. The proper disposal and treatment of wastewater combined with the treatment of drinking water would improve the quality of life, particularly in developing countries. The reuse and recycling of wastewater is a necessity in arid and semi-areas. Special risk mitigation measures can reduce microbial and chemical risks to an acceptable level. New water risk management tools, such as multi-barrier water risk control and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) method will be introduced.
