Emergency Department Visits for Acute Gastrointestinal Illness After a Major Water Pipe Break in 2010

When a water pipe breaks, contaminants can enter the drinking water system and cause waterborne illnesses such as acute gastrointestinal illness. In May 2010, a major water pipe broke near Boston, MA, and a boil water order was issued to nearly two million residents.Using a case-crossover study design, we examined the association between the water pipe break and subsequent emergency department visits for acute gastrointestinal illness. We...