Assimilable organic carbon cycling within drinking water distribution systems

Non-invasive Biofouling Monitoring to Assess Drinking Water Distribution System Performance

“…Thus suggesting a link between biofilm cell counts, the biofouling rate and potential discolouration response. Pick et al (2021) also observed a positive relationship between biofilm cell counts, and Median and range of bulk water parameters collected in triplicate are listed. TCC, total cell count; ICC, intact cell count.…”

“…Each BMD is supplied with drinking water directly from the DWDS tapping point. Prior to installation all tube sections and connectors were washed and sterilised via sonication with a 2% (w/v) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution (Pick et al, 2021).…”

“…Biofilms present in DWDS can be the result of years of growth and influenced by historic operational practices, existing infrastructure and the ecology of complex microbial communities. The growth rate of biofilms is known to be affected by physical and chemical parameters such as water source (Douterelo et al, 2016), organic (Pick et al, 2021), and inorganic loading (Chu et al, 2005), chlorine concentrations (Fish et al, 2020) and temperature (Hallam et al, 2001). Following a 12month biofouling period, Pick et al (2021) reported a positive relationship between turbidity, inorganic concentrations and cell counts being released into the bulk water due to increasing shear stress at the pipe wall mobilising biofilm.…”

“…The growth rate of biofilms is known to be affected by physical and chemical parameters such as water source (Douterelo et al, 2016), organic (Pick et al, 2021), and inorganic loading (Chu et al, 2005), chlorine concentrations (Fish et al, 2020) and temperature (Hallam et al, 2001). Following a 12month biofouling period, Pick et al (2021) reported a positive relationship between turbidity, inorganic concentrations and cell counts being released into the bulk water due to increasing shear stress at the pipe wall mobilising biofilm. It is proposed that a robust, repeatable method for quantification of biofouling rates could be used as an indicator of the discolouration, and other water quality, potential within DWDS.…”

“…Other studies have reported difficulties with the application of ATP to drinking water environments, in particular when a chlorine residual is present (Pick et al, 2019). Flow cytometry has been successfully used to enumerate planktonic cells within water samples and discriminate between total and intact (more likely viable) cells (Hammes et al, 2008;Gillespie et al, 2014;Fish et al, 2020;Pick et al, 2021). Techniques using flow cytometry have also been applied to biofilms to provide a quick and reproducible method for DWDS biofilm cell enumeration (Fish et al, 2020), but have relied on network invasive strategies using pipe coupons to obtain biofilm samples.…”