Abstract
In Norway, placement of the water treatment plant intake within the lake hypolimnion is considered a hygienic barrier against pathogens of fecal origin. It is unclear, however, whether this practice provides a barrier against opportunistic pathogens such as Legionella. In this study, water samples were collected at 10 m depth intervals near the drinking water intakes of two lakes. Legionella and one of their common hosts, Acanthamoeba spp., were quantified using culture-based assays (Legionella pneumophila only) and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). L. pneumophila and Acanthamoeba spp. were never detected by qPCR; Legionella spp., however, were present in all samples at concentrations ranging from 2.33 to 4.14 log10[copies/L] in lake A and from 2.69 to 4.27 log10[copies/L] in lake B. For most sampling months in both lakes, there was no significant difference between total bacteria and Legionella spp. concentrations at the intake depth versus those on the lake surface. The results of this limited investigation of two Norwegian water supplies suggest that placement of water treatment plant intakes within the hypolimnion may not afford a sufficient hygienic barrier against Legionella.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.