The Application of Earth Observations for Assessing Waterborne Disease Risk

Waterborne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio are caused by contaminated drinking water and poor sanitation (World Health Organization). Inadequate management of urban, industrial, and agricultural wastewater worsens water quality in water bodies, introducing chemicals and exacerbating growth of pathogens in water. Every year, waterborne diseases are responsible for approximately one million deaths, the majority of which are children under the age of five. For improved availability of safe drinking water, it is necessary to monitor and manage watershed processes (e.g., rainfall, land use, runoff) and water quality in coastal regions, streams, and lakes for harmful pathogens and sediments. Globally available satellite observations have been found useful for monitoring temperature, sediments, and phytoplankton in water bodies as indicators of waterborne diseases. Also, flooding and pathways for waterborne diseases are studied using satellite observations. Satellite data are also used in disease (e.g., cholera) prediction models.

This two-part training will focus on describing and accessing remote sensing observations useful as water quality indicators of waterborne diseases, and will present case studies where remote sensing data are used to assess the likelihood of cholera outbreaks.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the factors that affect the presence of microbial contaminants in water, leading to waterborne diseases in which satellite remote sensing can improve risk assessment.
2. Identify Earth observations used for monitoring key environmental factors relevant for assessing the presence of contaminants in drinking and recreational waters and risk of waterborne disease outbreaks.
3. Recognize how satellite observations are integrated with in situ water quality data to develop risk assessment models for waterborne diseases such as Cholera.

Course Dates: March 25 & 27, 2025

Audience: This training is primarily intended for water quality management agencies including domestic and international government agencies, drinking water utilities, stormwater and wastewater managers, aid organizations, indigenous communities, students, and academics.

Course Format: Two 1.5-hour sessions including Q&A.

How to register

Time: 9:00 -10:30 or 14:00-15:30 EDT (UTC-4); There will be identical sessions at two different times of the day. Participants need only to register and attend one daily session.

To Register: https://go.nasa.gov/3WrZmyj