Full-Scale Decontamination of Bacillus Spores from Drinking Water Infrastructure
Citation:
Szabo, J. Full-Scale Decontamination of Bacillus Spores from Drinking Water Infrastructure. U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC, EPA/600/S-19/016, 2019.
Impact/Purpose:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the lead federal agency responsible for working with water utilities to protect water distribution systems from contamination and to clean up systems that become contaminated. The effect of terrorist attacks using the causative agent of anthrax (Bacillus anthracis spores) against critical infrastructure, including the drinking water sector, has been an important research concern of the Agency. This technical brief describes EPA research to examine full-scale decontamination of Bacillus spores from drinking water infrastructure after a contamination event with B. globigii, a nonpathogenic surrogate for anthrax. It is useful for first responders and decision makers who must take action to clean up a drinking water system after a biological contamination incident.
Description:
The drinking water distribution system is vulnerable to contamination, which presents challenges to maintaining good water quality and ensuring water availability. Decontamination of drinking water systems, following an intentional contamination incident or a natural disaster, is critical for the return of the system to operation and for restoring public confidence in the system’s safety. The Water Security Test Bed is a unique research facility that provides a venue for full-scale research on topics of interest to the drinking water community. The results presented in this technical brief show that several infrastructure decontamination technologies are effective at killing spores and removing them from drinking water infrastructure when tested at a full scale.