title: Spatial and temporal analogies in microbial communities in natural drinking water biofilms.
abstract: Biofilms are ubiquitous throughout drinking water distribution systems (DWDS), playing central roles in system performance and delivery of safe clean drinking water. However, little is known about how the interaction of abiotic and biotic factors influence the microbial communities of these biofilms in real systems. Results are presented here from a one-year study using in situ sampling devices installed in two operational systems supplied with different source waters. Independently of the characteristics of the incoming water and marked differences in hydraulic conditions between sites and over time, a core bacterial community was observed in all samples suggesting that internal factors (autogenic) are central in shaping biofilm formation and composition. From this it is apparent that future research and management strategies need to consider the specific microorganisms found to be able to colonise pipe surfaces and form biofilms, such that it might be possible to exclude these and hence protect the supply of safe clean drinking water.
authors.affiliation: Pennine Water Group, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Mappin Street, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK. Electronic address: i.douterelo@sheffield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Douterelo
authors.affiliation: Wessex Water, Claverton Down Rd, Bath, Somerset BA2 7WW, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Wessex Water, Claverton Down Rd, Bath, Somerset BA2 7WW, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.affiliation: Pennine Water Group, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Mappin Street, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boxall
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria; D018441:Biofilms; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water
keywords: Bacteria; Biofilm; Flow; Re-growth; Succession