Organic Micropollution of Potable Water Supplies: Indirect versus Direct Reuse

The quality of the drinking-water produced by an indirect reuse system and a direct reuse system was evaluated with respect to organic micropollutants. The quality of the water produced by the direct system was superior to that produced by the indirect system. No adequate multiple barriers against organic and bacteriological contaminants were found in the indirect reuse system, as opposed to the direct reuse system where these barriers are provided. Coprostanol, a faecal sterol, was found to be a useful qualitative indicator of faecal pollution in water. Several indicators for organic macropollution, as well as organic pollution indices as indicators for organic micropollutants, were evaluated.