Occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in surface water supply from 2016 to 2020 in South Brazil

The objectives of this research are to evaluate Giardia and Cryptosporidium contamination in surface water supply in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) State in South Brazil in the years 2016 to 2020, assess seasonality, and to infer the population that may have been exposed to these protozoa through drinking water based on drinking water treatment efficiency. Data were obtained through the drinking water surveillance national information system. From 204 DWT plants in the state, 66 have been analyzed for protozoa. A total of 2304 analyses of protozoa in raw water were evaluated, of which 223 had both Giardia spp. cysts and/or Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in concentrations that varied from 0.1 to 21.5/L. A total of 2,712,125 people from 48 cities were at risk of having the presence of pathogenic protozoa in their drinking water. The probability of finding these protozoa was higher in winter. Giardia cysts were more likely to be found in a period without rain, suggesting that sewage was the main source of contamination. It is concluded that the springs of Rio Grande do Sul are impacted and the circulation of pathogenic protozoa through the territory is endemic with a probable source of contamination to sewage and livestock activity.