Regrowth potential of chlorine-resistant bacteria in drinking water under chloramination

The regrowth of chlorine-resistant bacteria in drinking water can deteriorate water quality. The study evaluated the relationship between organic carbon and the regrowth potential of chlorine-resistant bacteria remaining in chloraminated water samples. The results showed that the community structure of bacteria changed with the increase of chloramine dosage. The order in which organic carbon utilized by bacteria was affected by the composition of bacterial community. The biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC), assimilable organic carbon (AOC), bacterial regrowth potential (BRP) and total cell concentration (TCC) in cultivated water sample after disinfection with 1.8 mg/L chloramine increased form 0.22 mg/L, 33.68 µg/L, 2.70 × 10⁵ cells/mL and 3.48 × 10⁴ cells/mL before cultivation to 1.20 mg/L, 193.90 µg/L, 4.74 × 10⁵ cells/mL and 1.46 × 10⁵ cells/mL, respectively. The increase of TCC did not result in the decrease of BDOC, AOC and BRP in the cultivated water samples. The results showed that other biodegradable organic carbon in chloraminated water samples assimilated by residual chlorine-resistant bacteria besides AOC, BDOC, and organic carbon assimilated by indigenous bacteria. AOC, BDOC, and BRP indicators used to characterize the biostability of drinking water were not enough to accurately assess the regrowth potential of chlorine-resistant bacteria remaining in drinking water. It is suggested to supplement the index of TCC in cultivated water samples, which might be able to more accurately evaluate the regrowth potential of chlorine-resistant bacteria remaining in drinking water.