Basic course information 

• Course credits: 3 hp
• Education level: Third cycle 
• Grade: Fail/Pass; U/G 
• Subject: Drinking Water 
• Swedish name: Dricksvatten 
• Entry requirements: This course is open for PhD students and interested practioners from the water industry 
• Course examiner: Thomas Pettersson (Chalmers) 

Course aims

At the end of the course you should be able to: 

• Understand the importance, usefulness and limitations of drinking water processes. 
• Describe challenges in maintaining the quality of drinking water from production to consumer. 

• Explain the importance of microbial barriers 

• Understand the role of biofilm and microbial ecology in shaping microbial quality of drinking water 

• Make basic assessments of drinking-water systems 

• Describe challenges, especially for health-related issues 

• Understand benefits  and limitations of risk assessment models 

Course content

The course gives the fundamental knowledge of suitable raw water quality and basic concepts in design and operation of drinking-water systems.  

The course will provide knowledge about microbial water quality including pathogens and microbiome dynamics in both treatment and delivery and describe ways that these can be monitored. 

Course activities 

• Introductory lecture (online) 6 hours 
• 5 days (total, split between Gothenburg and Lund), lectures, exercises and project work.  
• Study visit to Ringjöverket Drinking Water Treatment Plant (Stehag, Skåne) 

Examination 

Course Teacher(s) 

• Thomas Pettersson thomas.pettersson@chalmers.se  
• Olof Bergstedt olof.bergstedt@kretsloppochvatten.goteborg.se  
• Catherine Paul catherine.paul@tvrl.lth.se