International Encyclopedia of Public Health, Second Edition - Contaminants Associated with Drinking Water

Outbreaks of water-related diseases due to harmful chemical or biological contaminants continue to occur mostly in developing counties; still, few outbreaks also continue to occur even in developed/industrialized counties. Based on the United Nations 2015 World Water Development Report, about 750 million people still lack accesses to ‘improved water supply’ nowadays. This article is aimed to summarize water contaminants (that have been included in current promulgated regulations) and emerging agents (that have been considered as contaminant candidates which may require further regulation), current regulations, and treatment options.