Summary:

Drinking water is known to harbor opportunistic pathogens (OPs), however, there is limited information about which factors regulate their abundance in drinking water systems and whether clinically relevant species and strains are present. 

The overall aims of the study are to:

1. Determine how the abundance of common respiratory-tract OPs change from the drinking water distribution system to the point of use in households.
2. Identify physical and chemical parameters associated with the abundance of OPs. 
3. Determine if specific strains recovered from persons with Cystic Fibrosis are also present in their drinking water.

This work is supported by:

1. An Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Microbiology of the Built Environment Fellowship (G-2014-13739
2. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (LIPUMA15G0)
3. A Dow Sustainability Fellowship