scholarly journals Faecal contamination of a municipal drinking water distribution system in association with Campylobacter jejuni infections

2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarja Pitkänen ◽  
Ilkka T. Miettinen ◽  
Ulla-Maija Nakari ◽  
Johanna Takkinen ◽  
Anja Siitonen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Campylobacter Jejuni ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Faecal Contamination ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Technical Management ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution ◽  
Maintenance Work

After heavy rains Campylobacter jejuni together with high counts of Escherichia coli, other coliforms and intestinal enterococci were detected from drinking water of a municipal distribution system in eastern Finland in August 2004. Three patients with a positive C. jejuni finding, who had drunk the contaminated water, were identified and interviewed. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) genotypes from the patient samples were identical to some of the genotypes isolated from the water of the suspected contamination source. In addition, repetitive DNA element analysis (rep-PCR) revealed identical patterns of E. coli and other coliform isolates along the distribution line. Further on-site technical investigations revealed that one of the two rainwater gutters on the roof of the water storage tower had been in an incorrect position and rainwater had flushed a large amount of faecal material from wild birds into the drinking water. The findings required close co-operation between civil authorities, and application of cultivation and genotyping techniques strongly suggested that the municipal drinking water was the source of the infections. The faecal contamination associated with failures in cleaning and technical management stress the importance of instructions for waterworks personnel to perform maintenance work properly.

scholarly journals Identification of Escherichiacoli from groups A, B1, B2 and D in drinking water in Brazil

2007 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renato H. Orsi ◽  
Nancy C. Stoppe ◽  
Maria Inês Z. Sato ◽  
Laura M. M. Ottoboni
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Rapid Assessment ◽  
Waterborne Diseases ◽  
Phylogenetic Groups ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution ◽  
Contamination Events

The presence of Escherichia coli in drinking water is an indication of fecal contamination and can represent a risk of waterborne diseases. Forty-nine E.coli strains isolated from different sources of drinking water (distribution system, well, spring and mineral water) were placed into the phylogenetic groups A (15 strains), B1 (19 strains), B2 (2 strains) and D (13 strains). Approximately 30% of the strains analyzed belonged to groups B2 and D, which usually include potentially extraintestinal pathogenic strains. Moreover, the assignment of the strains to different phylogenetic groups indicates that different contamination events occurred in these waters. These results were compared with the distribution of E. coli strains isolated from two rivers and two dams into the phylogenetic groups. A significant difference was observed when the distribution of drinking water strains into the phylogenetic groups was compared to the results obtained from the Guarapiranga Dam and the Jaguari and Sorocaba Rivers. The results obtained in this work suggest that PCR-based methods can be used for a rapid assessment of potentially pathogenic E. coli strains in water samples.

scholarly journals Effect of Phosphorus on Survival of Escherichia coli in Drinking Water Biofilms

2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (11) ◽  
pp. 3755-3758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Talis Juhna ◽  
Dagne Birzniece ◽  
Janis Rubulis
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Water Distribution System ◽  
Phosphorus Addition ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution Systems ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution

ABSTRACT The effect of phosphorus addition on survival of Escherichia coli in an experimental drinking water distribution system was investigated. Higher phosphorus concentrations prolonged the survival of culturable E. coli in water and biofilms. Although phosphorus addition did not affect viable but not culturable (VBNC) E. coli in biofilms, these structures could act as a reservoir of VBNC forms of E. coli in drinking water distribution systems.

scholarly journals Efficacy of Flushing and Chlorination in Removing Microorganisms from a Pilot Drinking Water Distribution System

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 903 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikki van Bel ◽  
Luc M. Hornstra ◽  
Anita van der Veen ◽  
Gertjan Medema
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Control Measure ◽  
Contaminated Water ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution ◽  
Boil Water Advisories ◽  
Contamination Events

To ensure delivery of microbiologically safe drinking water, the physical integrity of the distribution system is an important control measure. During repair works or an incident the drinking water pipe is open and microbiologically contaminated water or soil may enter. Before taking the pipe back into service it must be cleaned. The efficacy of flushing and shock chlorination was tested using a model pipe-loop system with a natural or cultured biofilm to which a microbial contamination (Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens spores and phiX174) was added. On average, flushing removed 1.5–2.7 log microorganisms from the water, but not the biofilm. In addition, sand added to the system was not completely removed. Flushing velocity (0.3 or 1.5 m/s) did not affect the efficacy. Shock chlorination (10 mg/L, 1–24 h) was very effective against E. coli and phiX174, but C. perfringens spores were partly resistant. Chlorination was slightly more effective in pipes with a natural compared to a cultured biofilm. Flushing alone is thus not sufficient after high risk repair works or incidents, and shock chlorination should be considered to remove microorganisms to ensure microbiologically safe drinking water. Prevention via hygienic working procedures, localizing and isolating the contamination source and issuing boil water advisories remain important, especially during confirmed contamination events.

scholarly journals Application of DVC-FISH method in tracking Escherichia coli in drinking water distribution networks

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Mezule ◽  
S. Larsson ◽  
T. Juhna
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Water Distribution System ◽  
Distribution Networks ◽  
Water Distribution Networks ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution

Abstract. Sporadic detection of live (viable) Escherichia coli in drinking water and biofilm with molecular methods but not with standard plate counts has raised concerns about the reliability of this indicator in the surveillance of drinking water safety. The aim of this study was to determine spatial distribution of different viability forms of E. coli in a drinking water distribution system which complies with European Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC). For two years coupons (two week old) and pre-concentrated (100 times with ultrafilters) water samples were collected after treatment plants and from four sites in the distribution network at several distances. The samples were analyzed for total, viable (able to divide as DVC-FISH positive) and cultivable E. coli. The results showed that low numbers of E. coli enters the distribution sytem from the treatment plants and tend to accumulate in the biofilm of water distribution system. Almost all of the samples contained metabolically active E. coli in the range of 1 to 50 cells per litre or cm2 which represented approximately 53% of all E. coli detected. The amount of viable E. coli significantly increased into the network irrespective of the season. The study has shown that DVC-FISH method in combination with water pre-concentration and biofilm sampling allows to better understand the behaviour of E. coli in water distribution networks, thus, it provides new evidences for water safety control.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Legionella spp. and Escherichia coli in the drinking water distribution system of Wrocław (Poland)

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 1083-1090
Author(s):  
M. Wolf-Baca ◽  
A. Siedlecka
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Legionella Pneumophila ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution

Abstract Drinking water should be free from bacterial pathogens that threaten human health. The most recognised waterborne opportunistic pathogens, dwelling in tap water, are Legionella pneumophila and Escherichia coli. Drinking water samples were tested for the presence of Legionella spp., L. pneumophila, and E. coli in overall sample microbiomes using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) approach. The results indicate a rather low contribution of Legionella spp. in total bacteria in the tested samples, but L. pneumophila was not detected in any sample. E. coli was detected in only one sample, but at a very low level. The qacEΔ1 gene, conferring resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds, was also not detected in any sample. The results point to generally sufficient quality of drinking water, although the presence of Legionella spp. in tap water samples suggests proliferation of these bacteria in heating units, causing a potential threat to consumer health.

Assessment of Lisbon drinking water distribution network biofilm colonization and associated hazards

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-426
Author(s):  
J. Menaia ◽  
M. Benoliel ◽  
A. Lopes ◽  
C. Neto ◽  
E. Ferreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Water Distribution System ◽  
Water Distribution Network ◽  
Storage Tanks ◽  
Water Pipe ◽  
Cultural Methods ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution ◽  
And Storage

Concerns arise from the possible occurrence of pathogens in drinking water pipe biofilms and storage tank sediments. In these studies, biofilm samples from pipes and sediments from storage tanks of the Lisbon drinking water distribution system were analyzed. Protein determinations and heterotrophic counts on pipe biofilm samples were used to assess the Lisbon network sessile colonization intensity and distribution. Indicator and pathogenic microorganisms were analyzed in pipe biofilm samples, as well as in storage tanks biofilm and sediments, by using cultural methods and PCR, to assess risks. Results have shown that the Lisbon network sessile colonization is relatively weak in intensity. In addition, no meaningful hazards were apparent for both the network biofilm and the storage tanks biofilm and sediments.

Persistence and decontamination of surrogate radioisotopes in a model drinking water distribution system

2009 ◽  
Vol 43 (20) ◽  
pp. 5005-5014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey G. Szabo ◽  
Christopher A. Impellitteri ◽  
Shekar Govindaswamy ◽  
John S. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Water Distribution System ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution System ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution

VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF A DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 (1) ◽  
pp. 449-467
Author(s):  
Stacia L. Thompson ◽  
Elizabeth Casman ◽  
Paul Fischbeck ◽  
Mitchell J. Small ◽  
Jeanne M. VanBriesen
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Vulnerability Assessment ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Water Distribution System ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution System ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution
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