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Combined Sewer Overflows and Gastrointestinal Illness in Atlanta, 2002-2013: Evaluating the Impact of Infrastructure Improvements.

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  • Author(s): Miller AG;Miller AG; Ebelt S; Ebelt S; Levy K; Levy K; Levy K
  • Source:
    Environmental health perspectives [Environ Health Perspect] 2022 May; Vol. 130 (5), pp. 57009. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 May 17.
  • Publication Type:
    Journal Article
  • Language:
    English
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0330411 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1552-9924 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00916765 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Environ Health Perspect Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Original Publication: Research Triangle Park, N. C. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
    • Subject Terms:
      Sewage*/analysis ; Emergency Service, Hospital*; Georgia/epidemiology ; Climate Change ; Environmental Monitoring
    • Abstract:
      Background: Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) discharge untreated sewage into surface and recreational water, often following heavy precipitation. Given projected increases in frequency and intensity of precipitation due to climate change, it is important to understand the health impacts of CSOs and mediating effects of sewerage systems.
      Objectives: In this study we estimate associations of CSO events and emergency department (ED) visits for gastrointestinal (GI) illness among City of Atlanta, Georgia, residents and explore how these associations vary with sewerage improvements.
      Methods: We estimate associations using Poisson generalized linear models, controlling for time trends. We categorized CSOs by overflow volume and assessed effects of CSO events prior to ED visits with 1-, 2- and 3-wk lags. Similarly, we evaluated effects of weekly cumulative precipitation greater than the 90th percentile at the same lags. We also evaluated effect modification by ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA)-level poverty and infrastructure improvement period using interaction terms.
      Results: Occurrence of a large volume CSO in the previous week was associated with a 9% increase in daily ED visits for GI illness. We identified significant interaction by ZCTA-level poverty, with stronger CSO-GI illness associations in low than high poverty areas. Among areas with low poverty, we observed associations at 1-wk and longer lags, following both large and lower volume CSO events. We did not observe significant interaction by infrastructure improvement period for CSO- nor precipitation-GI illness associations; however, the number of CSO events decreased from 2.31 per week before improvements to 0.49 after improvements.
      Discussion: Our findings suggest that CSOs contribute to acute GI illness burden in Atlanta and that the magnitude of this risk may be higher among populations living in areas of low poverty. We did not find a protective effect of sewerage system improvements. Nonetheless, observed reductions in CSO frequency may lower the absolute burden of GI illness attributable to these events. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10399.
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    • Grant Information:
      P30 ES019776 United States ES NIEHS NIH HHS
    • Accession Number:
      0 (Sewage)
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20220517 Date Completed: 20220519 Latest Revision: 20230120
    • Publication Date:
      20260130
    • Accession Number:
      PMC9113542
    • Accession Number:
      10.1289/EHP10399
    • Accession Number:
      35580035