UKWIR has contributed £100k to a £2.5m Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) collaborative research project between the University of Sheffield and the University of Glasgow, which will study and model the impact of disinfectant residual strategies on biofilms with drinking water distribution systems (DWDS). 

By developing knowledge and tools to predict pathogen risk across DWDS, this research aids the transition towards minimising chemical and energy use, while ensuring water safety and public health - supporting the best long-term use of existing and ageing infrastructure. 

This research aims to challenge and interrogate the widely accepted practice that maintains that a disinfectant residual is the best way to protect public health from microbial risks occurring in DWDS. Understanding the impacts of disinfectant residuals on biofilms is the critical missing link in the evaluation of drinking water disinfection and microbial quality from source to tap. 

This research will fill the gap by developing new understanding of the selective pressure of disinfection residual regimes, in combination with other environmental factors, on biofilms, and their potential to harbour proliferate and release pathogens. 

This new understanding will for the first time unlock the ability to holistically evaluate disinfection strategies for a given water supply system, minimising adverse impacts while ensuring public health. 

More information on the project here: https://www.tochlorinate.ac.uk/