As a few American have contracted the Ebola virus, concern has spread. This week, we've been searching for authoritative answers on whether the virus can survive in sewer systems or water and wastewater plants. On Oct. 7, the Water Research Foundation released the following statement:

Some water utilities have begun receiving inquiries regarding Ebola. Below are a few facts and resources to reinforce that Ebola cannot spread through the water supply.

• The Ebola virus causes an acute illness that is often fatal with a death rate of up to 90 percent. Ebola virus disease first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, one in a remote area of Sudan and the other in a village near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, from which the disease takes its name. The current outbreak in West Africa (the first cases reported in March 2014) is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered. The current outbreak has spread through both urban and rural areas.
• Ebola is not a foodborne, waterborne or airborne illness. The virus is transmitted to humans from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission. Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids (e.g., blood, vomit, feces). The Ebola virus can only replicate within host cells. Therefore, it cannot survive long in water because it does not have its host — either a human or an animal.
• Because of Ebola’s fragility when separated from its host, bodily fluids flushed by an infected person would not contaminate the water supply. Researchers believe Ebola survives in water for only a matter of minutes. This is because water does not provide the same environment as our bodily fluids, which have higher salt concentrations. Once in water, the host cell will take in water in an attempt to equalize the osmotic pressure, causing the cells to swell and burst, thus killing the virus.

Cited Sources:

World Health Organization (WHO) website
World Health Organization (WHO) website
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website
CNN interview
NPR interview

MSW magazine will continue to pass on information as we receive it. In the meantime, let us know your experiences so far. Has your municipality received any calls about Ebola? If so, what are you telling callers? Have your team members raised any questions or concerns? Have you discussed safety protocols? 

Let us know your experiences so far. Send an email to editor@mswmag.com or leave a comment here or on our Facebook or Twitter pages.