河流、溪流、湖泊和水库长期以来都是重要的饮用水源。过去，这些污染源往往受到污水排放的严重污染，不幸的是，它们在伤寒和霍乱等传染病的传播中也起着重要作用。随着污水处理方法的改进、水源的开发和保护以及水处理，水传播疾病的暴发报告越来越少，饮用水成为传染病传播的不那么重要的途径。在美国，水传播疾病的发病率很低，但水传播疫情仍在继续发生。本文报告了疫情统计数据，并提供了有关这些疫情的原因的信息，尤其是在地表水系统中。 包括55个参考文献、表格和图表。

Rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs have long been important sources of drinking water. In the past, these sources were often heavily contaminated by sewage discharges and, unfortunately, were also important in the transmission of communicable diseases such as typhoid and cholera. With improvements in sewage disposal practices, development and protection of water sources, and water treatment, outbreaks of waterborne disease are less frequently reported, and drinking water becomes a less important route of transmission of communicable disease. In the United States, the incidence of waterborne disease is low but waterborne outbreaks continue to occur. Outbreak statistics are reported in this article, and information is presented on the causes of these outbreaks, especially in surface water systems. Includes 55 references, tables, figures.