Responses of nitrifying populations and microbial communities to chlorine burn in a chloraminated drinking water distribution system

Short-term switching to chlorine disinfection (i.e., “chlorine burn”) is a common approach to controlling nitrification in chloraminated drinking water distribution systems, yet its effectiveness and mode(s) of action have not been fully investigated. This study characterized occurrence of nitrifying populations and profiled microbial community compositions before, during and after a chlorine burn at 46 sites in a chloraminated distribution system with varying pipe materials and levels of observed nitrification.