A One Health perspective on water contaminants

One Health is a transdisciplinary approach considering human, animal, and environmental health, and is highly relevant to water management. The growing pressure of anthropogenic activities is leading to water contamination with biological, chemical, and physical contaminants. For example, pathogens may result from fecal contamination due to poor sanitation or livestock waste leachate, agrochemicals from intensive agricultural practices, sediments from soil erosion, or microplastics from a wide range of anthropogenic activities. These activities can have widespread impacts, as exemplified by nitrates leaching from agricultural fields to surface and drinking waters, which can impact human health (e.g., methemoglobinemia), animal health (e.g., abortions and hypoxia), and environmental health (e.g., eutrophication). Recommendations include an integrated One Health approach to water contamination prevention: (i) respect for sociocultural practices; (ii) improved land management; (iii) improved infrastructures for water and wastewater management; (iv) surveillance of water bodies; (v) improved agricultural practices; and (vi) prevention through environmental management systems.