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Microbial ecology of drinking water distribution systems
David Berry1, Chuanwu Xi, Lutgarde Raskin
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 48109-2125, USA.
Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|May 17, 2006
Summary
Disinfectant resistance in drinking water microbes is influenced by community interactions, impacting water safety. Understanding these microbial ecology dynamics is key to improving disinfection strategies.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Public health science
- Water treatment technology
Background:
- Clean drinking water supply is a recent public health achievement.
- Controlling microbial growth in water distribution systems via disinfectants is crucial for preventing waterborne diseases, especially in vulnerable populations.
- Current disinfection models do not account for complex microbial interactions within distribution systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the impact of microbial ecology in drinking water distribution systems on disinfectant efficacy.
- To underscore the need for updated disinfection models that incorporate interspecies relationships and community diversity.
- To emphasize the importance of understanding microbial interactions for developing effective water safety strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent research on microbial ecology in drinking water distribution systems.
- Analysis of factors influencing pathogen resistance to disinfection, including community diversity and interspecies relationships.
- Examination of specific microbial interactions, such as Legionella pneumophila survival within protozoa and disinfectant depletion by nitrifying bacteria.
Main Results:
- Multispecies biofilms exhibit greater resistance to disinfection than single-species biofilms.
- The survival of Legionella pneumophila is enhanced when it is hosted by Hartmannella vermiformis.
- Nitrifying bacteria deplete chloramine disinfectant residuals, promoting increased microbial growth.
- Existing disinfection models fail to incorporate these complex ecological interactions.
Conclusions:
- Microbial community diversity and interspecies relationships significantly affect pathogen resistance to disinfectants like chlorination.
- Complex interactions, including host-pathogen dynamics and microbial metabolism of disinfectants, challenge current water treatment protocols.
- A comprehensive understanding of microbial ecology in distribution systems is essential for innovating effective control strategies to ensure safe drinking water.
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