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Drinking water microbiome assembly induced by water stagnation
Fangqiong Ling1,2, Rachel Whitaker3, Mark W LeChevallier4
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 205 N Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
The ISME Journal
|March 29, 2018
Summary
When tap water stagnates in plumbing, its bacterial community rapidly changes and grows significantly. Neutral processes and pipe size influence microbial assembly, impacting water quality and monitoring strategies.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Public health
- Water quality science
Background:
- Water stagnation in building plumbing can lead to microbial growth and water quality issues.
- Understanding microbial ecosystem dynamics in plumbing is crucial for public health.
- Current monitoring often overlooks biological changes in stagnant water.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate tap water microbiome assembly during stagnation in situ.
- To identify factors influencing bacterial community changes in plumbing systems.
- To evaluate the applicability of ecological models for building water quality assessment.
Main Methods:
- In situ tracking of tap water microbiome assembly over ~6-day stagnation periods.
- Analysis of bacterial community composition and cell counts.
- Application of island biogeography and size-effect models to explain microbial dynamics.
Main Results:
- Bacterial community composition shifted rapidly, with cell counts increasing from 10^3 to over 7.8 x 10^5 cells/mL.
- Microbial community assembly was highly reproducible in the tested system.
- Neutral processes dominated in proximal pipes, but their influence decreased towards the faucet, with pipe diameter mediating these changes.
Conclusions:
- Building water stagnation significantly alters tap water microbiome composition and abundance.
- Island biogeography and size-effect models provide a framework for understanding microbial dynamics in plumbing.
- Findings challenge current water quality monitoring practices and suggest incorporating biological growth assessment.
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