Abstract
The authors investigated the bacterial community attached to granular activated carbon(GAC) particles and the susceptibility of the community to chlorine disinfection. The study was carried out at the G Water Treatment Plant in Seoul, which was in full-scale operation. Bacteria attached to the surface of GAC increased gradually with treatment from $0.4{\times}106{\sim}8.5{\times}106 CFU/g$. TOC removal was under 1.0 mg/L due to increased bacterial community on the surface of GAC. It was found that TOC removal was closely related with physical and biological parameters such as pore volume and the number of attached bacteria. When the washed and the attached cells were disinfected with 1.0mg/L of chlorine for 1 hour, the washed cells with chlorination could be controlled, but the number of the attached cells increased gradually. The results suggest a possibility that the treatment and disinfection barriers can be penetrated and pathogenic bacteria may break into the drinking water supplying system.