The aim of the research project was to develop model representations of the processes relevant to the mass increase of coliform bacteria in dams for water supply, in order to derive corresponding recommendations for practice.
In the past few years, dams for water supply in various regions across Germany saw a dramatic mass development of coliform bacteria. In the raw water, pollution was frequently in the range of several 1,000 coliform bacteria per 100 ml. This phenomenon posed a particular challenge for treatment in waterworks.
To date, the causes of the mass development were unknown. For this reason, the causes of the dramatic increase in coliform bacteria in dams for water supply were investigated in a DVGW research project. Laboratory experiments and a research programme with a broad range of methods for dams for water supply seek to identify the relevant processes. Molecular biological tests were also performed to clarify which strains of coliform bacteria are capable of such mass developments, where these come from and whether these are hygienically relevant.
The aim of the research project was to develop model representations of the processes relevant to the mass increase of coliform bacteria in dams for water supply, in order to derive corresponding recommendations for practice.
Within the scope of the research project it could be shown that the mass proliferation of coliform bacteria is a dam-internal process of individual species of coliform bacteria, which can be assigned to the so-called environmental coliforms. They are presumably a component of the natural dam biocoenosis and are not pathogenic and thus not to be classified as hygienically relevant.
Publications
Hügler, M.; Leister, C.; Petzold, H.; Rybicki, M.; Korth, A.: DVGW Forschungsprojekt untersucht Massenentwicklung von coliformen Bakterien in Talsperren, Teil 1. DVGW energie | wasser-praxis (EWP), 01/2022: 58–67 (2022)
Hügler, M.; Leister, C.; Petzold, H.; Rybicki, M.; Korth, A.: DVGW Forschungsprojekt untersucht Massenentwicklung von coliformen Bakterien in Talsperren, Teil 2. DVGW energie | wasser-praxis (EWP), 02/2022: 42–49 (2022)
Hügler, M.; Leister, C.; Petzoldt, H.; Rybicki, M.; Korth, A.: Massenentwicklung von coliformen Bakterien in Talsperren und Seen. In: AWBR-Jahresbericht Nr. 53, 2021. Hrsg.: Koordinierungsstelle der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Wasserwerke Bodensee-Rhein (AWBR) am TZW, Karlsruhe, ISSN 0179-7867, 117-134 (2022)
Leister, C.; Hügler, M.: Genome Analysis of Enterobacter asburiae and Lelliottia spp., Proliferating in Oligotrophic Drinking Water Reservoirs and Lakes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 88:e00471-22 (2022) DOI: 10.1128/aem.00471-22
Leister C., Petzoldt, H., Rybicki, M., Wagner, M., Korth, A., Hügler M.: Massenentwicklung coliformer Bakterien in Talsperren – Ursachenanalyse und Konsequenzen für die Trinkwasserversorgung. Abschlussbericht zum DVGW-Forschungsprojekt W 201720 (2021)
Leister C., Petzoldt, H., Rybicki, M., Wagner, M., Korth, A., Hügler M.: Coliforme Bakterien in Talsperren. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Technologiezentrum Wasser, ISSN 1434-5765, TZW-Band 97 (2021)
Reitter C., Petzoldt H., Korth A., Schwab F., Stange C., Hambsch B., Tiehm, A., Lagkouvardos I., Gescher J., Hügler M.: Seasonal dynamics in the number and composition of coliform bacteria in drinking water reservoirs. Science of The Total Environment 787:147539, ISSN 0048-9697 (2021) DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147539
Reitter C., Neuhaus, K., Hügler M.: Draft genome sequences of Enterobacter spp., Lelliottia spp., and Serratia spp., coliform bacteria from drinking water reservoirs and lakes. Microbiology Resource Announcements 10:e00622-21 (2021) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.00622-21
The volumes of the TZW publications can be ordered here.
