Findings
These estimates show the impact, in illnesses and healthcare costs, of diseases spread through water. They also provide a description of which waterborne pathogens (bacteria, parasites, and viruses) cause the most diseases. This information helps CDC and others in their efforts to reduce waterborne disease and protect the public’s health.
Burden of waterborne disease in the United States
We estimated that 17 waterborne pathogens caused the following in 2014:
- 7.15 million illnesses
- 601,000 emergency department visits
- 118,000 hospitalizations
- 6,630 deaths
- $3.33 billion in direct healthcare costs for hospitalizations and emergency department visits
CDC estimates that each year 1 in 44 people gets sick from waterborne diseases in the United States.
Top 5 charts for domestically acquired waterborne diseases
Most common diseases
Estimated number
of illnesses
95% credible interval
% of total illnesses
Subtotal
6,908,000
97%
Most emergency department (ED) visits
Estimated number of ED visits
95% credible interval
% of ED visits
Subtotal
599,614
>99%
Most hospitalizations
Estimated number of hospitalizations
95% credible interval
% of total hospitalizations
Subtotal
106,490
90%
Most deaths
Estimated number of deaths
95% credible interval
% of total deaths
Subtotal
6,439
97%
Highest costs for ED visits
Costs of ED visits (US dollars)
95% credible interval
% of total ED costs
$30,100,000
For norovirus infection only, costs were derived from previously published estimates that did not include uncertainty intervals.
9%
Subtotal
$320,150,000
99%
Highest hospitalization costs
Costs of hospitalization stays
95% credible interval
% of total hospitalization costs
Subtotal
$2,872,000,000
95%
Highest combined hospitalization and ED costs
Total annual direct healthcare costs (ED visits and hospitalizations)
95% credible interval
% of total direct healthcare costs (ED visits and hospitalizations)
Subtotal
$3,163,000,000
95%