The Drinking Water Microbiome

Dear Colleagues,

The water we drink typically has gone through various physical and chemical treatment processes to render it safe for human consumption. This ‘safety’ however, does not equal sterility. Drinking water contains a highly diverse microbiome, albeit in reduced numbers (102-106 cells/ml). Cells exist in distribution systems under considerable nutrient limitation. The bacterial load and composition are highly dependent on disinfectant strategy and infrastructure from pipe to tap. An imbalance or shift in the microbial community can lead to poor water quality (colorimetric and odor) and even transmission of pathogens. Yet, we still know surprisingly little about the drinking water microbiome. Researchers (Hull et al., 2019) have even declared that now is the time for concerted efforts on a ‘Drinking Water Microbiome Project’.

Access to safe water is a fundamental human right and, in 2017, 2.2 billion people did not have access to safely managed services. With dwindling water resources, it is pertinent to understand the drinking water microbiome to optimize its consumption in a global context.

This multidisciplinary Special Issue will showcase recent trends concerning the drinking water microbiome ranging from characterization to intervention. We invite contributions in the form of reviews, perspectives, and original research on (but not limited to) the following topics:

• Characterization of the drinking water microbiome
• Drinking water microbiome in centralized or rural settings
• Influence of disinfection and treatment strategies
• Important species for biofilm control
• Impact of COVID-19 and water stagnation

Dr. Umer Zeeshan Ijaz
Dr. Ciara Keating
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Drinking Water Microbiome
• Biofilm Control
• Anaerobic Microorganisms