Development of Localized Assessment of Municipal Wastewater Disposal Risks

A means to develop a comparative assessment of the risks of available wastewater effluent disposal options on a local scale needs to be developed to help local decision-makers make decisions on options such as direct or indirect potable reuse options. These options have garnered more interest as a result of water supply limitations in many urban areas. This risk assessment was developed from a risk assessment developed at the University of Miami in 2001 and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in 2023. Direct potable reuse and injection wells were deemed to have the lowest risk in the most recent study by FAU. However, the injection well option may not be available everywhere. As a result, a more local means to assess exposure risk is needed. This paper outlines the process to evaluate the public health risks associated with available disposal alternatives which may be very limited in some areas. The development of exposure pathways can help local decision-makers define the challenges, and support later expert level analysis upon which public health decisions are based.