The overall goals of this project are to develop an integrated framework to quantitatively monitor the drinking water microbiome, including waterborne pathogens (WPS) and disinfection byproducts…

The overall goals of this project are to develop an integrated framework to quantitatively monitor the drinking water microbiome, including waterborne pathogens (WPS) and disinfection byproducts (dbps), and holistically manage WP and DBP risks in drinking water storage and distribution systems (dwsdss) using inclusive and actionable risk metrics.activities:this goal of an integrated framework will be realized through two research objectives: (1) enacting comprehensive spatial-temporal monitoring and characterization of water chemistry and microbiology of multiple full-scale dwsdss in different regions of the country; and (2) formulating an integrated and actionable risk assessment and management framework to mitigate WP and DBP risks and identify the underlying trade-offs to optimize drinking water quality in dwsdss.subrecipient:the water tower institute ($414,800 federal, $108,600 cost share) will serve on the project as the utility liaison for the team. Twti plans to provide support for quality assurance/quality control, data management, sampling and shipping logistics, and chemical and microbial analyses to ensure the successful and timely completion of the project. Northeastern university ($461,763 federal, $144,299 cost share) will provide expertise on organic geochemistry, DOM cycling and transformations, and experimental and modeling approaches; characterizing chemical and microbial contaminants in drinking water in underserved communities; and fundamental mass spectrometry; and will lead the organic matter analyses and the integration of organic matter data into the project. University of north carolina ($395,778 federal, $98,945 cost share) will lead the development, application, and interpretation of comparative (chemical, microbial) quantitative risk assessment approaches to understanding risks in water utilities. Outcomes:deliverables include annual and final reports, as well as a unique dataset that concurrently quantifies WPS and regulated and unregulated dbps in a diverse range of dwsdss and puts this data in rich context with a thorough characterization of water chemistry and microbiology. Additionally, they will develop an integrated framework to quantitatively monitor the drinking water microbiome, including WPS and dbps. They will also develop a risk management toolkit, publications, and conferences to disseminate their findings. The intended beneficiaries include water utility managers and communities who get their water from public drinking water distribution systems.