Water Research Library
This page presents important scientific research relevant to Our Water toolkit. Whether you are a Tribal water system customer, staff, manager, leadership, or collaborating agency, this research will help you better understand the scientific principles and evidence that supports the resources of Our Water toolkit. Research is organized by topic below and provides links to online databases where this research may be accessed. Access to this research may require registration or use of your organization’s library services.
Community Engagement
- A Framework for Public Health in the United States. Fielding, Teutsch, Breslow. Public Health Reviews, Vol. 32, No 1, 174-189.
- Tackling inequalities in health: what can we learn from what has been tried? Working paper prepared for the King’s Fund International Seminar on Tackling Inequalities in Health. Dahlgren G, Whitehead M, September 1993, Ditchley Park, Oxfordshire. London, King’s Fund, accessible in: Dahlgren G, Whitehead M. (2007) European strategies for tackling social inequities in health: Levelling up Part 2. Copenhagen: WHO Regional office for Europe
Chemicals in Treated Water: Chlorine, Fluoride
- Seasonal evaluation of the presence of 46 disinfection by-products throughout a drinking water treatment plant. Serrano M, Montesinos I, Cardador MJ, Silva M, Gallego M. Sci Total Environ. 2015 Jun 1;517:246-58
- Disparity in disinfection byproducts concentration between hot and cold tap Liu B, Reckhow DA. Water Res. 2015 Mar 1;70:196-204
- Recent advances in drinking water disinfection: successes and challenges. Ngwenya N, Ncube EJ, Parsons J. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol. 2013;222:111-70
- Minimization of the formation of disinfection by-products. Badawy MI, Gad-Allah TA, Ali ME, Yoon Y. Chemosphere. 2012 Sep;89(3):235-40
Chlorine Treatment and Health Risks
- Assessing the human health impacts of exposure to disinfection by-products–a critical review of concepts and methods. Grellier J, Rushton L, Briggs DJ, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ. Environ Int. 2015 May;78:61-81.
- Assessing exposure and health consequences of chemicals in drinking water: current state of knowledge and research needs. Villanueva CM, Kogevinas M, Cordier S, Templeton MR, Vermeulen R, Nuckols JR, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Levallois P. Environ Health Perspect. 2014 Mar;122(3):213-21
Overview: Drinking Water Fluoridation
- S. Public Health Service Recommendation for Fluoride Concentration in Drinking Water for the Prevention of Dental Caries. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal Panel on Community Water Fluoridation. (2015). Public Health Reports, 130(4), 318–331.
- Surgeon General’s Perspectives. Murthy, V. H. (2015). Public Health Reports, 130(4), 296–298.
- Systematic Evidence Review of Community Water Fluoridation The American Academy of Family Physicians. May 2013.
- Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA’s Standards. National Research Council. 2006 Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
- Systematic review of water fluoridation. McDonagh MS, Whiting PF, Wilson PM, Sutton AJ, Chestnutt I, Cooper J, Misso K, Bradley M, Treasure E, Kleijnen J. BMJ. 2000 Oct 7;321(7265):855-9.
- Review of Fluoride: Benefits and Risks. Committee to Coordinate Environmental Health and Related Programs, Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Fluoride (February 1991). Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.
Fluoridation and Oral Health
- Fluoride and Oral Health. O’Mullane DM, Baez RJ, Jones S, Lennon MA, Petersen PE, Rugg-Gunn AJ, Whelton H, Whitford GM. Community Dent Health. 2016 Jun;33(2):69-99.
- Timing of fluoride intake and dental fluorosis on late-erupting permanent Bhagavatula P, Levy SM, Broffitt B, Weber-Gasparoni K, Warren JJ. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2016 Feb;44(1):32-45.
- Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries. Iheozor-Ejiofor Z, Worthington HV, Walsh T, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015, June 18.
- Community water fluoridation and health outcomes in England: a cross-sectional study. Young N, Newton J, Morris J et al. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2015;43:550-9
- Focus on fluorides: update on the use of fluoride for the prevention of dental caries. Carey CM. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2014 Jun;14 Suppl:95-102
- Contemporary perspective on the use of fluoride products in caries prevention. ten Cate JM. Br Dent J. 2013 Feb;214(4):161-7
- Effects of fluoridated drinking water on dental caries in Australian adults. Slade GD, Sanders AE, Do L, Roberts-Thomson K, Spencer AJ. J Dent Res. 2013 Apr;92(4):376-82
- Timing of fluoride intake in relation to development of fluorosis on maxillary central incisors. Hong L, Levy SM, Broffitt B, Warren JJ, Kanellis MJ, Wefel JS, Dawson DV. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2006 Aug;34(4):299-309.
- Risk factors for enamelfluorosis in a nonfluoridated population. Pendrys DG, Katz RV, Morse DE. Am J Epidemiol. 1996 Apr 15;143(8):808-15
- Risk factors for enamelfluorosis in a fluoridated population. Pendrys DG, Katz RV, Morse DE. Am J Epidemiol. 1994 Sep 1;140(5):461-71.
Health Risks of Untreated or Limited Drinking Water
- Literature Review of Associations among Attributes of ReportedDrinking Water Disease Outbreaks. Ligon G, Bartram J. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016 May 27;13(6)
- Impact of providing in-homewater service on the rates of infectious diseases: results from four communities in Western Alaska. Thomas TK, Ritter T, Bruden D, Bruce M, Byrd K, Goldberger R, Dobson J, Hickel K, Smith J, Hennessy T. J Water Health. 2016 Feb;14(1):132-41.
- Cleanwater, sanitation and diarrhoea in Indonesia: Effects of household and community factors. Komarulzaman A, Smits J, de Jong E. Glob Public Health. 2016 Jan 13:1-15.
- Extreme water conservation in Alaska: limitations in access to water and consequences to health. Thomas TK, Hickel K, Heavener M. Public Health. 2016 Aug;137:59-61
- Acute gastrointestinal illness in two Inuit communities: burden of illness in Rigolet and Iqaluit, Canada. Harper SL, Edge VL, Ford J, Thomas MK, Pearl DL, Shirley J; IHACC., McEwen SA. Epidemiol Infect. 2015 Oct;143(14):3048-63
- Consuming untreated water in four southwestern Alaska Native communities: reasons revealed and recommendations for change. Ritter TL, Lopez ED, Goldberger R, Dobson J, Hickel K, Smith J, Johnson RM, Bersamin A. J Environ Health. 2014 Dec;77(5):8-13; quiz 52
- Burden of disease from in adequate water, sanitation and hygiene in low- and middle-income settings: a retrospective analysis of data from 145 countries. Prüss-Ustün A, Bartram J, Clasen T, Colford JM Jr, Cumming O, Curtis V, Bonjour S, Dangour AD, De France J, Fewtrell L, Freeman MC, Gordon B, Hunter PR, Johnston RB, Mathers C, Mäusezahl D, Medlicott K, Neira M, Stocks M, Wolf J, Cairncross S.Trop Med Int Health. 2014 Aug;19(8):894-905.
- A systematic review of waterborne disease burden methodologies from developed countries. Murphy HM, Pintar KD, McBean EA, Thomas MK. J Water Health. 2014 Dec;12(4):634-55.
- Washeteria closures, infectious disease and community health in rural Alaska: a review of clinical data in Kivalina, Alaska. Thomas TK, Bell J, Bruden D, Hawley M, Brubaker M. Int J Circumpolar Health. 2013 Aug 5;72.
- Comparison of the burden of diarrhoeal illness among individuals with and without household cisterns in northeast Brazil. Marcynuk PB, Flint JA, Sargeant JM, Jones-Bitton A, Brito AM, Luna CF, Szilassy E, Thomas MK, Lapa TM, Perez E, Costa AM. BMC Infect Dis. 2013 Feb 4;13:65.
- Unregulated private wells in the Republic of Ireland: consumer awareness, source susceptibility and protective actions. Hynds PD, Misstear BD, Gill LW. J Environ Manage. 2013 Sep 30;127:278-88
- Environmental burden of diarrhoeal diseases due to unsafe water supply and poor sanitation coverage in Nepal. Aryal KK, Joshi HD, Dhimal M, Singh SP, Dhakal P, Dhimal B, Bhusal CL. J Nepal Health Res Counc. 2012 May;10(21):125-9.
- The relationship between in-homewater service and the risk of respiratory tract, skin, and gastrointestinal tract infections among rural Alaska natives. Hennessy TW, Ritter T, Holman RC, Bruden DL, Yorita KL, Bulkow L, Cheek JE, Singleton RJ, Smith J. Am J Public Health. 2008 Nov;98(11):2072-8.
Customer Perceptions of the Water System
- Consumer Perception and Preference of Drinking Water Sajjadi SA, Alipour V, Matlabi M, Biglari H. Electron Physician. 2016 Nov 25;8(11)
- Perception of drinking water safety and factors influencing acceptance and sustainability of a water quality intervention in rural southern India. Francis MR, Nagarajan G, Sarkar R, Mohan VR, Kang G, Balraj V. BMC Public Health. 2015 Jul 30;15:731
- The causes and circumstances of drinking water incidents impact consumer behaviour: Comparison of a routine versus a natural disaster incident. Rundblad G, Knapton O, Hunter PR. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Nov 18;11(11):11915-30.
- Drinking water management: health risk perceptions and choices in First Nations and non-First Nations communities in Canada. Dupont D, Waldner C, Bharadwaj L, Plummer R, Carter B, Cave K, Zagozewski R. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 May 30;11(6):5889-903.
- Perceptional and socio-demographic factors associated with householddrinking water management strategies in rural Puerto Rico. Jain M, Lim Y, Arce-Nazario JA, Uriarte M. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 28;9(2)
- Risk factors associated with the choice to drink bottled water and tap water in rural Saskatchewan. McLeod L, Bharadwaj L, Waldner C. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Jan 30;11(2):1626-46
- Domestic water service delivery indicators and frameworks for monitoring, evaluation, policy and planning: a review. Kayser GL, Moriarty P, Fonseca C, Bartram J. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2013 Oct 11;10(10):4812-35.
- Tap or bottled water: drinking preferences among urban minority children and adolescents. Huerta-Saenz L, Irigoyen M, Benavides J, Mendoza M. J Community Health. 2012 Feb;37(1):54-8
- Dissemination of drinking water contamination data to consumers: a systematic review of impact on consumer Lucas PJ, Cabral C, Colford JM Jr. PLoS One. 2011;6(6)
- What’s wrong with the tap? Examining perceptions of tap water and bottled water at Purdue University. Saylor A, Prokopy LS, Amberg S. Environ Manage. 2011 Sep;48(3):588-601.
- Children’s drinking water: parental preferences and implications for fluoride exposure. Sriraman NK, Patrick PA, Hutton K, Edwards KS. Pediatr Dent. 2009 Jul-Aug;31(4):310-5.
- Minerals in drinking water: impacts on taste and importance to consumer health. Whelton AJ, Dietrich AM, Burlingame GA, Schechs M, Duncan SE. Water Sci Technol. 2007;55(5):283-91.
- Influence of alkalinity, hardness and dissolved solids on drinking water taste: A case study of consumer satisfaction. Lou JC, Lee WL, Han JY. J Environ Manage. 2007 Jan;82(1):1-12
- Bottled water versus tap water: understanding consumers’ preferences. Doria MF. J Water Health. 2006 Jun;4(2):271-6
- The value of good quality drinking water to Canadians and the role of risk perceptions: a preliminary analysis. Adamowicz W, Dupont D, Krupnick A. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2004 Oct 22-Nov 26;67(20-22):1825-44.
- Perception of drinking water in the Quebec City region (Canada): the influence of water quality and consumer location in the distribution system. Turgeon S, Rodriguez MJ, Thériault M, Levallois P. J Environ Manage. 2004 Apr;70(4):363-73.
Economics of Drinking Water
- Measuring the willingness to pay for drinking water quality improvements: results of a contingent valuation survey in Songzi, China. Jianjun J, Wenyu W, Ying F, Xiaomin W. J Water Health. 2016 Jun;14(3):504-12
- Investigation of Cost and Energy Optimization ofDrinking Water Distribution Systems. Cherchi C, Badruzzaman M, Gordon M, Bunn S, Jacangelo JG. Environ Sci Technol. 2015 Nov 17;49(22):13724-32
- Comparison and cost analysis of drinking water quality monitoring requirements versus practice in seven developing countries. Crocker J, Bartram J. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Jul 18;11(7):7333-46
- Waterborne outbreak of gastroenteritis: effects on sick leaves and cost of lost workdays. Halonen JI, Kivimäki M, Oksanen T, Virtanen P, Virtanen MJ, Pentti J, Vahtera J. PLoS One. 2012;7(3):
- Drinking water fluoridation in South East Queensland: a cost-effectiveness evaluation. Ciketic S, Hayatbakhsh MR, Doran CM. Health Promot J Austr. 2010 Apr;21(1):51-6.
- An assessment of the costs and benefits of interventions aimed at improving rural community water supplies in developed countries. Hunter PR, Pond K, Jagals P, Cameron J. Sci Total Environ. 2009 Jun 1;407(12):3681-5
- Bacterial contamination of drinking water and the economic burden of illnesses for the Nepalese households. Atreya K, Panthee S, Sharma P. Int J Environ Health Res. 2006 Oct;16(5):385-90.
Water System Management
- Hypothetical scenario exercises to improve planning and readiness for drinking water quality management during extreme weather events. Deere D, Leusch FD, Humpage A, Cunliffe D, Khan SJ. Water Res. 2017 Mar 15;111:100-108
- Risk management for drinking water safety in low and middle income countries – cultural influences on water safety plan (WSP) implementation in urban water Omar YY, Parker A, Smith JA, Pollard SJ. Sci Total Environ. 2017 Jan 15;576
- Water safety plans: bridges and barriers to implementation in North Carolina. Amjad UQ, Luh J, Baum R, Bartram J. J Water Health. 2016 Oct;14(5)
- Refined assessment of associations between drinking water residence time and emergency department visits for gastrointestinal illness in Metro Atlanta, Georgia. Levy K, Klein M, Sarnat SE, Panwhar S, Huttinger A, Tolbert P, Moe C. J Water Health. 2016 Aug;14(4):672-81.
- Safe drinking water in regional NSW, Australia. Byleveld PM, Leask SD, Jarvis LA, Wall KJ, Henderson WN, Tickell JE. Public Health Res Pract. 2016 Apr 15;26(2)
- The FlintWater Crisis Confirms That U.S. Drinking Water Needs Improved Risk Baum R, Bartram J, Hrudey S. Environ Sci Technol. 2016 Jun 7;50(11):5436-7.
- Improving health in the Arctic region through safe and affordable access to household running water and sewer services: an Arctic Council initiative. Hennessy TW, Bressler JM. Int J Circumpolar Health. 2016 Apr 29;75:31149
- Improving State and Local Capacity to Assess and Manage Risks Associated With Private Wells and OtherDrinking Water Systems Not Covered by the Safe Drinking Water Sabogal RI, Hubbard B. J Environ Health. 2015 Dec;78(5):40-2.
- Extreme weather events: Should drinking water quality management systems adapt to changing risk profiles? Khan SJ, Deere D, Leusch FD, Humpage A, Jenkins M, Cunliffe D. Water Res. 2015 Nov 15;85:124-36.
- Risk assessment and water safety plan: case study in Beijing, China. Ye B, Chen Y, Li Y, Li H, Yang L, Wang W. J Water Health. 2015 Jun;13(2):510-21.
- Watersystems, sanitation, and public health risks in remote communities: Inuit resident perspectives from the Canadian Arctic. Daley K, Castleden H, Jamieson R, Furgal C, Ell L. Soc Sci Med. 2015 Jun;135:124-32.
- The future water environment–using scenarios to explore the significant water management challenges in England and Wales to 2050. Henriques C, Garnett K, Weatherhead EK, Lickorish FA, Forrow D, Delgado J. Sci Total Environ. 2015 Apr 15;512-513:381-96
- A decision support system for drinking water production integrating health risks assessment. Delpla I, Monteith DT, Freeman C, Haftka J, Hermens J, Jones TG, Baurès E, Jung AV, Thomas O. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Jul 18;11(7):7354-75
- Incorporating community and multiple perspectives in the development of acceptable drinking water source protection policy in catchments facing recreation demands. Syme GJ, Nancarrow BE. J Environ Manage. 2013 Nov 15;129:112-23.
- The influence of environmental hazard maps on risk beliefs, emotion, and health-related behavioral intentions. Severtson DJ. Res Nurs Health. 2013 Aug;36(4):330-48
- An integrated risk management model for source water protection areas. Chiueh PT, Shang WT, Lo SL. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012 Oct 17;9(10):3724-39.
- Icelandic experience with water safety plans. Gunnarsdóttir MJ, Gardarsson SM, Bartram J. Water Sci Technol. 2012;65(2):277-88
- Review of risk from potential emerging contaminants in UK groundwater. Stuart M, Lapworth D, Crane E, Hart A. Sci Total Environ. 2012 Feb 1;416:1-21.
- Sharing environmental health practice in the North American Arctic: a focus on water and wastewater service. Ritter TL. J Environ Health. 2007 Apr;69(8):50-5, 56, 58.
Monitoring and Regulations
- Human health screening and public health significance of contaminants of emerging concern detected in public water Benson R, Conerly OD, Sander W, Batt AL, Boone JS, Furlong ET, Glassmeyer ST, Kolpin DW, Mash HE, Schenck KM, Simmons JE. Sci Total Environ. 2017 Feb 1;579:1643-1648.
- Reducing production of taste and odor by deep-living cyanobacteria in drinking water reservoirs by regulation of water Su M, Jia D, Yu J, Vogt RD, Wang J, An W, Yang M. Sci Total Environ. 2017 Jan 1;574:1477-1483
- AssessingDrinking Water Quality and Water Safety Management in Sub-Saharan Africa Using Regulated Monitoring Data. Kumpel E, Peletz R, Bonham M, Khush R. Environ Sci Technol. 2016 Oct 18;50(20)
- A Case Study of Environmental Injustice: The Failure in Flint. Campbell C, Greenberg R, Mankikar D, Ross RD. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016 Sep 27;13(10)
- Development, application, and sensitivity analysis of a water quality index for drinking water management in small systems. Scheili A, Rodriguez MJ, Sadiq R. Environ Monit Assess. 2015 Nov;187(11):685
- Drinking water microbiology–from measurement to Proctor CR, Hammes F. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2015 Jun;33:87-94.
- Dynamics of bacterial communities before and after distribution in a full-scaledrinking water El-Chakhtoura J, Prest E, Saikaly P, van Loosdrecht M, Hammes F, Vrouwenvelder H. Water Res. 2015 May 1;74:180-90
- Drinking water microbial myths. Allen MJ, Edberg SC, Clancy JL, Hrudey SE. Crit Rev Microbiol. 2015;41(3):366-73.
- Drinking WaterQuality Guidelines across Canadian provinces and territories: jurisdictional variation in the context of decentralized water Dunn G, Bakker K, Harris L. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Apr 25;11(5):4634-51
- Effective drinking water collaborations are not accidental: interagency relationships in the international water utility sector. Jalba DI, Cromar NJ, Pollard SJ, Charrois JW, Bradshaw R, Hrudey SE. Sci Total Environ. 2014 Feb 1;470-471
- Bacteriology of drinking water distribution systems: an integral and multidimensional review. Liu G, Verberk JQ, Van Dijk JC. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2013 Nov;97(21):9265-76
- A comparison of additional treatment processes to limit particle accumulation and microbial growth during drinking water Liu G, Lut MC, Verberk JQ, Van Dijk JC. Water Res. 2013 May 15;47(8):2719-28
- Waterresource management: an Indian perspective. Khadse GK, Labhasetwar PK, Wate SR. J Environ Sci Eng. 2012 Oct;54(4):577-91.
- Enhanced communication and coordination in the public health surveillance component of the CincinnatiDrinking Water Contamination Warning System. Dangel C, Allgeier SC, Gibbons D, Haas A, Simon K. Biosecur Bioterror. 2012 Mar;10(1):123-30
- Deficiencies in drinking water distribution systems in developing countries. Lee EJ, Schwab KJ. J Water Health. 2005 Jun;3(2):109-27