Microbial Abundance and Community Composition in Biofilms on In-Pipe Sensors in Drinking Water Distribution System

This project analyzed microbial communities in biofilm and water samples collected from sensors installed in a DWDS where monochloramine is used as a residual disinfectant. Prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis was carried out for 12 samples collected from four sites. Mycobacterium and AOB species were dominant in the DWDS sections with low water age and sufficient residual monochloramine, whereas Nitrospira species (nitrite-oxidizing bacteria) dominated in the sections with higher water age and depleted monochloramine level, suggesting the occurrence of nitrification in the studied DWDS.