On Microconstituents: Jury’s Out, Action’s in Baltimore

By Joseph Cleary, P.E., BCEE
Principal, HydroQual, Inc.

When it comes to defining, managing, and decreasing the impact of microconstituents on human health and the environment, the jury is most definitely out. And beyond the need to learn so much more about microconstituents--the term we use to describe the natural and manmade substances ranging from drugs to personal care products that end up in water and must be assessed for potential impact on human health and the environment—-there’s a host of related issues to address. That’s exactly what’s happening in Baltimore next week at the Microconstituents and Industrial Water Quality 2009 Conference, where WEF and other leading public health organizations and stakeholders from around the world will take a hard look at the pressing and provocative subject of microconstituents. (This in addition to a comprehensive program on industrial wastewater.) As chair of the microconstituents portion of the meeting, I am very excited about the program the committee has put together.

Risk communication will definitely be in the spotlight at this meeting. Discussion of risks can be difficult in any field, but when you have engineers and other technical types in the communications mix, results can mystify or overwhelm the person on the street. For example, as more studies are done and analytical methods are developed and refined, we can expect more reports and findings that microconstituents are ubiquitous in the environment. To some non-technical ears that could sound scary!

As technical professionals, we know there is so very much to be learned about all the microconstituent variables like concentration, location, and frequency, which could comprise (or not) any risk to human health or the environment--not to mention developing sound scientific solutions based on what we learn. (See June 2009 New York Times article on what we can learn.) While there is no evidence to suggest risk to human health, we’ll continue to research, monitor, and evaluate microconstituents, and any potential challenges and remedies must be communicated accurately and effectively. (See WEF's Drug-Free Drains brochure.) That’s an essential part of our jobs as water quality professionals and one of many cutting-edge topics you can learn more about next week.

I think of microconstituents as an exciting new frontier when it comes to water--and Baltimore is the next outpost. Latest research, current best practices, and, yes, ways to communicate with the public--it’ll all be there. Come join us and be part of the action!