Biofilm in Drinking Water Distribution System

Abstract

Biofilms associated with drinking water are ubiquitous, harbouring bacterial pathogens, opportunistic pathogens, parasitic protozoa, viruses, and toxins releasing fungi and algae. Microbial consortia in contact with drinking water have significant impacts on water quality and may threaten human health when contamination events occur. As one factor becomes more dominant over another, the biofilm will react to this change. The extent of biofilm development is dependent on a complex interaction of all of the factors which are discussed in this paper. Access to safe water continues to be a target for developing countries. It is important, therefore, to understand how each factor interacts with the others to efficiently control biofilm formation in distribution systems to provide safe drinking water for human health.