Historically, the need to control which disease prompted the establishment of adequate water treatment in the US?

The establishment of adequate water treatment in the United States was significantly prompted by the need to control typhoid fever. Typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi, which is typically transmitted through contaminated water. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, outbreaks of typhoid fever were common, and it became clear that improving sanitation and water quality was critical to public health.

As urban areas grew and populations increased, the risk of water contamination also rose, making the lack of proper water treatment a serious public health concern. Efforts to develop effective water treatment methods, including filtration and chlorination, helped to greatly reduce the incidence of this disease. By focusing on controlling typhoid, public health officials recognized the importance of clean water, leading to advancements in water treatment processes, regulations, and the establishment of modern public health infrastructure, which have had lasting effects on water safety and disease prevention.