ABSTRACT
A better understanding of the effects of different urban and recreational surfaces on the inactivation of water-borne pathogens that can cause infections after urban floods if released from surcharged combined sewers and other sources of faecal contamination is needed. The inactivation of faecal indicator E. coli was studied under controlled exposure to simulated sunlight on a range of different surfaces found in urban environments: gravel, sand, asphalt, pavement blocks, concrete, playground rubber tiles and grass, using glass as control. The chapter understands the effects of different surface types found in urban and sub-urban open areas, including storm water detention and retention basins, on the inactivation of indicator organisms under different light conditions, immediately after floods. The inactivation rate was assumed to be constant in each of the batch experiments because of their short duration, adopting the traditional approach.
