The Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) hosted a three-day preventive medicine course Sept. 27-29, with emphasis on drinking water management and safety.

The pilot-course (Preventive Medicine Authority Drinking Water) covered a myriad of drinking water-related topics ranging from drinking water regulations to water supply, treatment and distribution.

Fifteen attendees from across the Navy Medicine enterprise participated in the course as part of an overall public health strategy designed to better prepare preventive medicine professionals in the execution of Navy Medicine's mission to ensure that all Navy personnel and their families receive drinking water that meets or exceeds the United States water quality standards as required by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO).

The role of the attendees is to ensure that the risks associated with unsafe drinking water are prevented or reduced through proactive surveillance and timely action. In this regard, Navy preventive medicine professionals work side-by-side with their Navy Line counterparts, including Commander, Naval Installations Command (CNIC), Naval Facilities Command (NAVFAC) and installation public works departments world-wide.

According to Mr. Tony Carotenuto, NMCPHC Preventive Medicine Staff, one of the course architects and lead instructor, "Navy Medicine has a key role in making sure the drinking water is safe. "Even though CNO has designated CNIC as executive agent for drinking water quality matters for Navy shore facilities and installations worldwide, Navy public health personnel bring critical knowledge and expertise to the table," said Carotenuto.

Carotenuto went on to site numerous examples of Navy Medicine's role. "We conduct public health surveillance of the water systems, health risk assessment and risk communication, public health assistance on the preparation of consumer confidence reports and public notification, and we also determine when drinking water systems issues warrant implementation of alternative water supplies," added Carotenuto.

"NMCPHC's role is to serve as the subject matter expert with respect to drinking water programs," said Dr. Paul Gillooly, NMCPHC Risk Communications expert and course instructor. "We're also the Navy and Marine Corps' expert in risk communication consultation and training."

NMCPHC is tasked with ensuring that Navy Medicine drinking water programs and policies are current, properly executed and properly communicated. "At the end of the day, whether it is a local food-borne illness outbreak or a safe drinking water issue, it all boils down to health," said Gillooly. "People want to know whether they have been exposed, what their risk is, how does it affect their health, their families' health, and will that exposure cause illness and disease later in life."

Lt. Cmdr. Stacy Kwak, environmental health officer, Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, M44) one of the course instructors underscored the impact of increased public awareness regarding public health issues in the headlines. "With high profile issues such as the Zika Virus and contaminated drinking water in Flint Michigan, there is a heightened awareness in the population of public health issues with an expectation for immediate action when such issues arise," said Kwak. "Therefore the goal is to ensure that Navy Medicine public health personnel are sufficiently trained and educated on the Navy's drinking water program's roles, responsibilities, policies on supplies, treatment, distribution, and overall operations and maintenance aspects of drinking water systems."

According to Capt. Rodney Boyce, director of Public Health Services, U. S. Naval Hospital Rota, Spain, the importance of implementing a drinking water course for public health and preventive medicine professionals should not be understated. "This training is an investment for providing safe drinking water in the United States and Overseas, which contributes to readiness," said Boyce.

"Every lecture has brought new information that I need to take to Japan and put into use. I wish this course was available years ago," added Lt. Daniel Crouch, environmental health officer, U. S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan. "Understanding my role, engineers' roles, and sanitary surveys, and the extensive classroom discussion of real world issues is a "game changer" for our environmental health community."

"As an Independent Duty Corpsman going to a remote installation this course is helping me with the necessary tools and knowledge to provide proper surveillance of the drinking water program," said Petty Officer 1st Class (SW/AW) Edwin G. Dominguez, Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System, Romania.

For more information on drinking water policy and guidance, visit NMCPHC online at: http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc/program-and-policy-support/water-sanitation-and-safety/Pages/default.aspx.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, visit www.navy.mil/.