We invite researchers, drinking water system operators, service providers, representatives of regulatory bodies, public health specialists and water quality experts to participate in a survey on biological stability assessment and microbiological monitoring in drinking water distribution systems.
According to Health Canada, biological stability, or biostability, refers to the provision of drinking water with a low risk of supporting significant microbiological growth, ensuring that consumer safety and the aesthetic quality of water are not adversely affected.
The purpose of this survey is to collect expert knowledge, practical experience and stakeholder perspectives on how biological stability is currently assessed in drinking water distribution systems. The questionnaire addresses the usefulness of microbiological, physicochemical and operational indicators, including heterotrophic plate counts, ATP, flow cytometry, qPCR, organic carbon, disinfectant residuals, temperature, turbidity and selected microorganisms.
Participants are also invited to share their views on whether routine monitoring programmes are sufficient to detect early changes in biological stability, which analytical methods and parameters may currently be underused, and in which situations additional microbiological sampling should be considered. The survey also explores the importance of biofilm, the relevance of advanced analytical methods and the main practical challenges associated with sampling, laboratory capacity, data interpretation, seasonal variation and the establishment of baseline conditions and alert thresholds.
The collected responses will help provide a broader understanding of current monitoring practices, limitations and priorities across different countries and professional environments. They may also support future discussions on more effective and harmonised approaches to monitoring the biological stability of drinking water distribution systems.
The survey is anonymous and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Personal information, such as your name or email address, will not be collected automatically. Participants may voluntarily provide their contact details at the end of the questionnaire if they are willing to answer follow-up questions or provide additional clarification.
We kindly ask you to complete the survey and share it with other professionals, experts and stakeholders who may be interested in contributing.