WBDOSS was initiated in 1971 by CDC, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In order for a waterborne disease outbreak to be included in WBDOSS there must be an epidemiologic link between two or more persons that includes a location of water exposure, a clearly defined time period for the water exposure, and one or more waterborne illnesses caused by pathogens such as bacteria, parasites and viruses, or by chemicals/toxins.
Beginning in 2009, this form was replaced by the electronic National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS).
[1][2] CDC has published WBDOSS surveillance summaries on an annual or biennial basis since 1971.
Public health researchers and policy makers use the data to understand and reduce waterborne disease and outbreaks.