This critical review published in Environmental Science and Technology journal is expected to provide insights into the susceptibility of water distribution systems to biofilm growth, featuring the potential for manipulation of operational parameters as well as the selection of the right technologies for the challenging issue of biofilm monitoring and control.

In this article, we described the occurrence and characteristics of biofilms in DWDS and how the growth is potentially affected by the various operational conditions, including their fluctuations. The choice of pipe materials, flow rate variations, and, quite often, changes in temperature and pH affect biofilm formation, including the initial stage of microorganism attachment onto pipe surfaces. The Critical Review further describes a range of technologies that have been available or that are currently being developed for potential use in the monitoring and characterization of drinking water biofilms. Finally, practices to control biofilm development are discussed, including emerging catalysis- and biometabolic-based technologies.

Graphical abstract of Env. Sci. Tech, DOI:10/1021/acs.est.6b00835