Loose deposits (LD) accumulate in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) and may lead to tap water discoloration incidents upon resuspension. While inconvenient for the consumers and the water companies, discoloration may be accompanied by degradation of the microbiological quality of the water, and possibly to the transport of bacteria. The presence of heterotrophic bacteria towards LD with different characteristics was investigated. Bacterial loads in discoloured water samples and LD concentrated over different settling times were analysed. Total heterotrophic (TH) bacteria numbers did not relate to turbidity or to suspended solids in discoloured waters. Higher affinities of TH were observed for slower-settling LD (<24 h), which were also richer in microbial extracellular polymeric substances. The detection of viable iron-oxidizing bacteria in LD supported their possible roles in LD formation and may be related to microbial growth/regrowth in DWDS. Results suggest that LD may exhibit low affinities to hold and transport bacteria, at least to TH in chlorinated water supplies.
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June 2015
This article was originally published in
Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua
Article Contents
Research Article|
February 24 2015
Low affinity of heterotrophic bacteria to loose deposits in drinking water distribution systems
A. Poças;
1LNEC, Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil, Av. do Brasil, 101, 1700-066 Lisboa, Portugal
3TU Delft, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
E-mail: [email protected]
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V. Napier;
V. Napier
1LNEC, Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil, Av. do Brasil, 101, 1700-066 Lisboa, Portugal
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C. Neto;
C. Neto
2EPAL, Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres, SA, Av. de Berlim, 15, 1849-033 Lisboa, Portugal
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E. Ferreira;
E. Ferreira
2EPAL, Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres, SA, Av. de Berlim, 15, 1849-033 Lisboa, Portugal
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M. J. Benoliel;
M. J. Benoliel
2EPAL, Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres, SA, Av. de Berlim, 15, 1849-033 Lisboa, Portugal
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L. C. Rietveld;
L. C. Rietveld
3TU Delft, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
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J. Vreeburg;
J. Vreeburg
4Sub-Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen UR, Wageningen University, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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J. Menaia
J. Menaia
1LNEC, Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil, Av. do Brasil, 101, 1700-066 Lisboa, Portugal
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Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua (2015) 64 (4): 442–449.
Article history
Received:
May 14 2014
Accepted:
January 06 2015
Citation
A. Poças, V. Napier, C. Neto, E. Ferreira, M. J. Benoliel, L. C. Rietveld, J. Vreeburg, J. Menaia; Low affinity of heterotrophic bacteria to loose deposits in drinking water distribution systems. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua 1 June 2015; 64 (4): 442–449. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2015.062
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