Amoeba & biofilms in UK chlorinated drinking water distributions systems: impact on water safety

Amoeba-related diseases have been related with the presence of certain amoebas in domestic water, including drinking water. Biofilms in drinking water distribution systems are able to support amoeba growth by providing a food source and protecting them against disinfectants. Additionally, amoeba growth can be favoured by warm temperatures and climate change appears to contribute to its geographic spread.

The presence of amoeba and its association with potential pathogenic bacteria was studied in a real-scale chlorinated DWDS. The test facility comprised three independent pipe loops fed with water from the local water supply and for this study a varied flow hydraulic profile was applied based on daily patterns observed in real UK distribution networks. The daily regime was repeated for a biofilm growth phase of 30 days. Amoeba viability was tested by a culture-based method, non-nutrient agar (NNA)-E. coli plates, and then confirm by qPCR using specific primers to detect species of amoeba including Naegleria and Acanthamoeba. Amplicon sequencing of the 16s rRNA gene was used to characterise the biofilm and planktonic bacterial communities.

Several amoeba species belonging to the genera Acanthamoeba, Vermamoeba and Naegleria were identified in 30-day old biofilm samples. While the bacterial communities in biofilms were dominated by Variovorax, Pseudomonas and Aquabacterium. This study yielded new insights on the dynamics of amoeba and bacterial communities in DWDS. However, more research is required to accurately establish the impact of these inter-kingdom associations on human health.