Application of In-Line ATP Monitoring for Non-potable Alternative Water Systems

Alternative water systems are actively being developed and pursued by utilities to complement existing water and wastewater infrastructure. However, as these new systems emerge, regulatory development is needed in a way that is protective of human and environmental health through evolving risk assessment approaches. One such example is with risk monitoring practices for distributed (or on-site) non-potable reuse systems. Currently, regulations that exist at the state level are designed for centralized water reuse systems, and applying these to the distributed or onsite scale can be extremely cost-prohibitive.

One type of alternative, continuous, monitoring technology to detect the presence of pathogens is automated adenosine triphosphate (ATP) monitoring. ATP monitoring is currently accepted in many industries, including food, beverage, and a multitude of other water applications. This project will examine the viability of ATP as a microbial monitoring surrogate for routine effluent sampling and continuous log-reduction verification for non-potable reuse systems.