Quality of rainwater and reclaimed water used in buildings and selection of appropriate indicators

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F75010330%3A_____%2F23%3A00014404" target="_blank" >RIV/75010330:_____/23:00014404 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://cejph.szu.cz/artkey/cjp-202303-0002_quality-of-rainwater-and-reclaimed-water-used-in-buildings-and-selection-of-appropriate-indicators.php" target="_blank" >https://cejph.szu.cz/artkey/cjp-202303-0002_quality-of-rainwater-and-reclaimed-water-used-in-buildings-and-selection-of-appropriate-indicators.php</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.21101/cejph.a7884" target="_blank" >10.21101/cejph.a7884</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Quality of rainwater and reclaimed water used in buildings and selection of appropriate indicators

Original language description

Objectives: The use of alternative water sources such as rainwater or greywater (i.e., wastewater excluding water from toilets) for non-potable purposes may save water but, on the other hand, can also pose health risks to users. The main health risks come from microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa). This work aims to analyse especially microbiological quality of rainwater and greywater used inside buildings in detail and to expand the existing knowledge about the potential health risks associated with these alternative water sources. It also considers methodological problems during E. coli and coliform bacteria detection. The final objective is to discuss requirements and appropriate indicators for monitoring recycled water quality.Methods: We examined 30 buildings with non-potable water systems in the Czech Republic and analysed a total of 137 samples of rainwater and 120 samples of greywater. From these 30 buildings, eleven, 5 of which used rainwater and 6 of which used greywater, were sampled regularly for 1-2 years for basic chemical parameters, various faecal indicators, C. perfringens, Legionela spp. and P. aeruginosa. Occasionally, samples were analysed also for the presence of environmental mycobacteria, amoebas, viruses, and selected pathogens.Results: Nearly three quarters of rainwater samples contained the faecal indicators E. coli or enterococci, or both, and in samples from several buildings also Clostridium perfringens was repeatedly detected. Untreated and treated rainwater were in respect to microbiological quality similar, suggesting that treatment processes were not very efficient. In greywater samples, beside faecal indicators, also P. aeruginosa and thermotolerant amoebas were repeatedly detected. Treatment technologies used for greywater were more efficient than those for rainwater systems.Conclusion: Based on the results we evaluated appropriate indicators for monitoring recycled water quality and drafted the first Czech regulation for non-potable water.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

30304 - Public and environmental health

Project

<a href="/en/project/SS01010179" target="_blank" >SS01010179: Determination of hygienic requirements for recycled water used in the interior of buildings and in the municipal water elements</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Central European Journal of Public Health

ISSN

1210-7778

e-ISSN

1803-1048

Volume of the periodical

31

Issue of the periodical within the volume

3

Country of publishing house

CZ - CZECH REPUBLIC

Number of pages

11

Pages from-to

155-165

UT code for WoS article

001105918100005

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85176496260