Heterotrophic plate counts and drinking-water safety: The significance of HPCs for water quality and the human health
Edited by J. Bartram, J. Cotruvo, M.Exner, C. Fricker, A. Glasmacher
This book provides a critical assessment of the role of HPC measurement in drinking water quality management.
The HPC test (or Standard Plate Count), applied in many variants, is widely used to measure the heterotrophic microorganism population in drinking-water and other media. Heterotrophs are organisms, including bacteria, yeasts and moulds, that require an external source of organic carbon for growth.
This book provides valuable information on the utility and the limitations of HPC data in the management and operation of piped water systems as well as other means of providing drinking water to the public. It is of particular value to piped public water suppliers and bottled water suppliers, manufacturers and users of water treatment and transmission equipment and in-line treatment devices, water engineers, sanitary and clinical microbiologists, and national and local public health officials and regulators of drinking water quality.
Download expert consensus statement
Download the full document
Download individual chapters
-
Foreword, Acknowledgements, Acronyms and abbreviations
pdf, 297kb -
1. Expert consensus: Expert Meeting Group Report
pdf, 446kb -
2. Public health aspects of the role of HPC
pdf, 150kb -
3. The history & use of HPC in drinking-water quality management
pdf, 263kb -
4. The presence of bacteria in water after regrowth
pdf, 180kb -
5. Bacteria of potential health concern
pdf, 220kb -
6. Relationships between common water bacteria & pathogens in drinking-water
pdf, 468kb -
7. Epidemiological & risk assessment evidence of disease linked to HPC Bacteria
pdf, 216kb -
8. Infections from HPC organisms in drinking-water amongst the immunocompromised
pdf, 149kb -
9. Methods to identify & enumerate frank & opportunistic bacterial pathogens in water & biofilms
pdf, 328kb -
10. Conditions favouring coliform & HPC bacterial growth in drinking-water & on water contact surfaces
pdf, 520kb -
11. Managing regrowth in drinking-water distribution systems
pdf, 324kb -
12. The role of HPC in managing the treatment & distribution of drinking-water
pdf, 179kb -
Index
pdf, 143kb
Other information that may be of interest
Publishing and ordering information
Published on behalf of WHO by IWA Publishing
© WHO 2003
ISBN 92 4 156226 9 (WHO)
ISBN 1 84339 025 6 (IWA Publishing)
This document is in English only.
Order No.: 11500529
To order a copy, please contact bookorders@who.int