Water Utilities are embracing new proactive monitoring strategies to detect and mitigate microbiological threats in drinking water using the InnovaPrep Concentrating Pipette. One standout example comes from Aigües de Barcelona aka Agbar, the municipal water utility serving metropolitan Barcelona. In alignment with the World Health Organization's guidelines and Spain’s recently updated Royal Decree 3/2023, the utility has expanded its Water Safety Plan (WSP) to include targeted, high-sensitivity surveillance of Legionella spp. and L. pneumophila.
Faster, Smarter Concentration for Large Volume Samples
Legionella can be difficult to detect in large volumes of water, especially when present at low levels. To address this challenge, Aigües de Barcelona incorporated the Concentrating Pipette (CP Select), a compact concentration device that uses hollow fiber ultrafiltration to rapidly concentrate microbes from water samples into microliter volumes.
The concentrated sample is then subjected to qPCR or culture analysis following international standards. The CP not only accelerates the sample prep workflow, but it also enhances detection sensitivity—supporting more confident decision-making in critical zones.
Strategic Surveillance, Timely Interventions
Barcelona’s proactive monitoring program includes 250+ annual samples across its supply network, with extra sampling in historically vulnerable areas such as low-consumption industrial zones. When a positive qPCR result is obtained, confirmatory testing and immediate risk mitigation steps—like re-chlorination or air vent modification—are deployed.
A Tool for a Safer Water Future
One of the utility's water quality technicians presenting at the 2025 Water Micro meeting stated,
"The CP has become a very important tool in high volume drinking water sample concentration. Other target microorganisms are being studied, such as viruses and other bacteria."
The Concentrating Pipette’s ease of use and speed make it an ideal tool for routine utility-scale water safety testing. Its role in the water industry for a range of targets including legionella, coliphage, and more - demonstrates its value in helping water suppliers meet regulatory requirements while protecting public health faster, easier, and better.
