Mr William Taylor1, Dr Megan Devane1, Ms Susan Lin1, Dr Brent Gilpin1
1ESR, Christchurch, New Zealand
Since the beginning of time, human beings have formed their settlements and colonies near bodies of water. Due to increases in industrial activities, agriculture and aging infrastructure causing issues with water scarcity and quality, more nuanced investigations into what is in our water are required.
Water quality investigations are generally done at a broad level, through the quantitation of coliforms (total and fecal), E. coli, and selected chemical analyses. However, these methods are not sensitive enough to answer questions such as sources of contamination, the potential threats to human health and effective mitigation actions.
We have applied long-read amplicon sequencing to the drinking water space for detection of contamination sources by investigating samples from source waters, drinking water treatment plants and reticulation networks. Our efforts working with local councils have yielded a method for performing total microbial community analyses to determine potential sources of contamination and inform stakeholders of potential health risk. Additionally, eDNA analysis allows us to make recommendations to stake holders to address causes of contamination in a timely manner, and at an achievable cost.
Biography:
‘Biographies to come’.