COLITREND: Monitoring E. COLI dynamics at high temporal resolution in Canadian drinking water supplies using autonomous online measurement technology

通过培养检测粪便指示细菌大肠杆菌一直是饮用水水源微生物质量常规监测的基准。然而，该方法需要至少18-24小时来递送E。大肠杆菌计数，这使得它不可能采取快速和具有成本效益的决定的情况下，微生物的危害，导致监管阈值超标。最近，已经开发了新技术来简化和加速E。水中大肠杆菌检测。他们自主收集和高精度测量β-D-葡萄糖醛酸酶活性，一种对E。大肠杆菌，而不需要培养。结果将在用户的计算机或智能手机上以真实的时间交付给用户。在这个项目中，我们的目标是在多个加拿大饮用水处理厂实施新颖和创新的技术，以更好地评估其摄入量对粪便污染的脆弱性。设备将测量E。大肠杆菌动力学在精细的时间分辨率，以识别，表征和预测E。大肠杆菌的峰值浓度，并阐明当地水文气候和峰值污染事件之间的联系，通过基于过程的建模。对于选定的研究中心和时期，将描述病原体的发生情况，以了解与测量相关的微生物风险。由于这些新技术提供的荧光单位不同于通过培养获得的经典计数，因此该项目的主要任务将是将信号与通过依赖于培养但也与培养无关的方法（例如真实的时间PCR）产生的信号进行比较。更好地了解这些技术提供的信号是在早期预警系统中实施这一技术以进行有效水质监测或作为受管制微生物指标的改进替代方法的一个基本先决条件。为利用高频监测结果而制定的统计和建模框架将有助于水资源管理者和监管者改进监测、风险评估和决策。该项目将与来自阿尔伯塔和魁北克的工业伙伴合作，培训7名高素质人员。

Detection of the fecal indicator bacterium Escherichia coli by culture has been the benchmark for routine monitoring of microbiological quality in drinking water sources. However, the method requires a minimum of 18-24 hours to deliver E. coli counts, which makes it impossible to take rapid and cost-effective decisions in case of microbial hazards that lead to regulatory threshold exceedances. Recently, new technologies have been developed to streamline and accelerate E. coli detection in water. They autonomously collect and measure at high precision ß-D-glucoronidase activity, an enzyme specific to E. coli, without the need for cultivation. Results are delivered in real time to the user on its computer or smartphone. In this project, we aim at implementing the novel and innovative technology at multiple Canadian drinking water treatment plants to better assess the vulnerability of their intakes to fecal pollution. Devices will measure E. coli dynamics at fine temporal resolution to identify, characterize and predict E. coli peak concentrations and elucidate the association between local hydro-climatology and peak pollution events through process-based modelling. For selected sites and periods, the occurrence of pathogens will be described to understand the microbial risk associated with measurements. As these new technologies provide fluorescence units that are different from the classic counts obtained by culture, a major task of this project will be to compare signals to those generated by culture-dependent but also culture-independent methods such as real time PCR. A better understanding of the signals provided by these technologies is an essential pre-requisite to the implementation of this technology in early warning systems for efficient water quality monitoring or as an improved alternative to regulated microbial indicators. The development of a statistical and modelling framework for the exploitation of the high-frequency monitoring results will enable improved monitoring, risk assessment and decision-making by water managers and regulators. This project will train 7 highly qualified personnel in collaboration with industrial partners from Alberta and Québec.