Current regulations and legislation require critical revision to determine safety for alternative water sources and water reuse as part of the solution to global water crisis. In order to fulfill those demands, Lisbon municipality decided to start water reuse as part of a sustainable hydric resources management, and there was a need to confirm safety and safeguard for public health for its use in this context. For this purpose, a study was designed that included a total of 88 samples collected from drinking, superficial, underground water, and wastewater at three different treatment stages. Quantitative Polimerase Chain Reaction (PCR) detection (qPCR) of enteric viruses Norovirus (NoV) genogroups I (GI) and II (GII) and Hepatitis A (HepA) was performed, and also FIB (E. coli, enterococci and fecal coliforms) concentrations were assessed. HepA virus was only detected in one untreated influent sample, whereas NoV GI/ NoV GI were detected in untreated wastewater (100/100%), secondary treated effluent (47/73%), and tertiary treated effluent (33/20%). Our study proposes that NoV GI and GII should be further studied to provide the support that they may be suitable indicators for water quality monitoring targeting wastewater treatment efficiency, regardless of the level of treatment.

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This study evaluated the microbiological safety of the water distribution system of a city in the state of Minas Gerais (Brazil), population 120,000 inhabitants. During the study, the city suffered a severe drought that had a significant impact on water availability and quality in the river that supplies water to the city. Samples (2 liters) were collected from the distribution system over a period of six months, which included wet and dry months, from three points: the point with the lowest altitude in the distribution network, the farthest point from the water treatment works, and an intermediate point. Free chlorine was measured in situ using a Hach kit. DNA was extracted using a FastDNA Spin Kit Soil (Qbiogene). Advanced sequencing techniques (Ion Torrent) were used to identify and quantify the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria present in the samples. Coliforms and Escherichia coli, indicators currently used worldwide to assess microbiological safety of drinking water, were measured on all samples using an enzyme substrate method (ONPG-MUG Colilert®). Next generation sequencing results retrieved 16SrRNA sequences of E. coli and some potentially pathogenic bacteria, even in the presence of free chlorine. Operational taxonomic units related to pathogenic bacteria were present in all samples from the drinking water distribution system (DWS) and, in general, at high relative abundance (up to 5%). A total of 19 species related to bacterial pathogens were detected. Inadequate operational practices that could affect the microbiological safety of the DWS were identified and discussed. The current paper is the first to evaluate the community of potentially pathogenic bacteria in a real DWS.

Ice is widely used to preserve fish on markets, playing a major role in the food industry. If manufactured, stored or distributed in inadequate sanitary conditions, it can represent a considerable health risk for both consumers and professionals. The present study characterizes ice used in marketplaces, on microbiological and chemical parameters. The aim was to assess potential risks on occupational exposure and consumer safety and therewith plan orientation guidelines. Sampling took place in 18 marketplaces in Lisbon, with ice samples collected at three different stagesproduction (n = 29), storage (n = 30), and product-contact (n = 29). No significant contamination was found in production and storage stages, demonstrating that ice production and storage procedures are adequate regarding sanitary conditions. With exception for Salmonella, significantly higher concentrations of microbial parameters were identified in product-contact stages, specifically Total Coliforms (548 MPN/100 mL), Escherichia coli (1 MPN/100 mL), Enterococci (29 MPN/100 mL), Staphylococcus aureus (271 CFU/100 mL), HPC at 5 , 22 , and 37 (>301 CFU/mL). Our study also shows that the majority of samples from ice production and storage comply with national regulations regarding drinking water quality. Yet, occupational health and consumer risks may still exist at the final product-contact stage, as significant contamination was detected.. Practical applicationsThe present study can be used as a model for ice quality monitoring in fish preservation, serving as a tool for quality control and fast contamination detection during the several process stages. This monitoring model is an important contribution for assuring the safety of the preserved products, as well as, occupational health improvement and consumer risk protection.

Mitigation of global warming scenarios by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) water convention requires better water use policies by all management parties. One of Lisbon's municipal contributions to target a sustainable urban water cycle has been to assess the microbial and hydrochemical quality of groundwater. The aim is to clarify the possible existence of contaminations and respective sources, seasonality, and to assess non-drinking alternative uses of those waters. To this respect, five water sources over a 4-year period were monitored for physical, chemical, and microbial parameters (temperature, pH, NO, NO, NO, oxidability, conductivity, total hardness, Escherichia coli, total coliforms, enterococci, and heterotrophic plate count at 22 °C and 37 °C). The results show mean values of physical and chemical parameters within the WHO and national drinking water guidelines and regulations. However, microbial parameters exceed these limits, showing no seasonality. Microbial contamination may not necessarily imply the uselessness of groundwater for uses other than for drinking. For routine water quality assessment, a selection of a more adequate group of microbiological indicators is necessary, in order to evaluate potential public health risks, regarding the use of the identified water sources for non-potable purposes like irrigation or street cleaning. This approach is being promoted by the UNECE's protocol for water and health, article 6, 2 (i); in accordance with the scope of the UN's sustainable goals.