[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 67 (Thursday, April 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19362-19363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-8271]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[60Day-11-11EC]
Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and
Recommendations
In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects.
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call 404-639-5960
and send comments to Daniel Holcomb, CDC Acting Reports Clearance
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail
to [email protected].
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents,
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other
forms of information technology. Written comments should be received
within 60 days of this notice.
Proposed Project
Epidemiologic Study of Health Effects Associated With Low Pressure
Events in Drinking Water Distribution Systems --New--National Center
for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases--Office of Infectious
Diseases--CDC.
Background and Brief Description
In the United States, drinking water distribution systems are
designed to deliver safe, pressurized drinking water to our homes,
hospitals, schools and businesses. However, the water distribution
infrastructure is 50-100 years old in much of the U.S. and an estimated
240,000 water main breaks occur each year. Failures in the distribution
system such as water main breaks, cross-connections, back-flow, and
pressure fluctuations can result in potential intrusion of microbes and
other contaminants that can cause health effects, including acute
gastrointestinal and respiratory illness.
Approximately 200 million cases of acute gastrointestinal illness
occur in the U.S. each year, but we don't have reliable data to assess
how many of these cases are associated with drinking water. Further,
data are even more limited on the human health risks associated with
exposure to drinking water during and after the occurrence of low
pressure events (such as water main breaks) in drinking water
distribution systems. A study conducted in Norway from 2003-2004 found
that people exposed to low pressure events in the water distribution
system had a higher risk for gastrointestinal illness. A similar study
is needed in the United States.
The purpose of this data collection is to conduct an epidemiologic
study in the U.S. to assess whether individuals exposed to low pressure
events in the water distribution system are at an increased risk for
acute gastrointestinal or respiratory illness. This study would be, to
our knowledge, the first U.S. study to systematically examine the
association between low pressure events and acute gastrointestinal and
respiratory illnesses. Study findings will inform the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), CDC, and other drinking water stakeholders of
the potential health risks associated with low pressure events in
drinking water distribution systems and whether additional measures
(e.g., new standards, additional research, or policy development) are
needed to reduce the risk for health effects associated with low
pressure events in the drinking water distribution system.
We will conduct a cohort study among households that receive water
from five water utilities across the U.S. The water systems will be
geographically diverse and will include both chlorinated and
chloraminated systems. These water utilities will provide information
about low pressure events that occur during the study period.
Households in areas exposed to the low pressure event and an equal
number of households in an unexposed area will be randomly selected and
sent a survey questionnaire. After consenting to participate,
households will be asked about symptoms and duration of any recent
gastrointestinal or respiratory illness, tap water consumption, and
other factors including international travel, daycare attendance or
employment, and exposure to under-cooked or unpasteurized food, pets
and other animal contact, and recreational water. Study participants
will be able to choose their method of survey response from a variety
of options including a paper survey, telephone-administered survey, or
Web-based survey. A Spanish language version of the survey for all
response options will also be available. Participation in this study
will be voluntary. No financial compensation will be provided to study
participants. The study duration is anticipated to last 12 months. An
estimated 5,200 individuals will be contacted and we anticipate 2,080
adults (18 years of age or older) will consent to participate in this
study. We will conduct a pilot study (duration 3 months) prior to
launching the full epidemiologic study. An estimated 1,000 individuals
will be contacted and we anticipate 400 adults (18 years of age or
older) will consent to participate in the pilot study. The total
estimated annualized hours associated with this study, including the
pilot, is expected to be 601.
[[Page 19363]]
Estimate of Annualized Burden Hours
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Average
Number of Number of burden per Total burden
Type of respondents Form name respondents responses per response (hours)
respondent (hours)
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Full Study:
Households................ Introductory 5,200 1 1/60 87
letter and
consent form.
Households................ Web-based 1,248 1 12/60 250
questionnaire.
Households................ Paper-based 624 1 12/60 125
questionnaire.
Households................ Telephone-based 208 1 12/60 42
questionnaire.
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Total (full study):... ................ .............. .............. .............. 504
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Pilot Study:
Households................ Introductory 1000 1 1/60 17
letter and
consent form.
Households................ Web-based 240 1 12/60 48
questionnaire.
Households................ Paper-based 120 1 12/60 24
questionnaire.
Households................ Telephone-based 40 1 12/60 8
questionnaire.
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Total (pilot study)... ................ .............. .............. .............. 97
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Total (Full & Pilot).. ................ .............. .............. .............. 601
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Daniel Holcomb,
Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2011-8271 Filed 4-6-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P