Water temperature is often monitored at water sources and treatment works; however, there is limited monitoring of the water temperature in the drinking water distribution system (DWDS), despite a known impact on physical, chemical and microbial reactions which impact water quality. A key parameter influencing drinking water temperature is soil temperature, which is influenced by the urban heat island effects. This paper provides critique and comprehensive summary of the current knowledge, policies and challenges regarding drinking water temperature research and presents the findings from a survey of international stakeholders. Knowledge gaps as well as challenges and opportunities for monitoring and research are identified. The conclusion of the study is that temperature in the DWDS is an emerging concern in various countries regardless of the water source and treatment, climate conditions, or network characteristics such as topology, pipe material or diameter. More research is needed, especially to determine (i) the effect of higher temperatures, (ii) a legislative limit on temperature and (iii) measures to comply with this limit.

Pressure management is the basic step of reducing water losses from water supply systems (WSSs). The reduction of direct water losses is reliably achieved by reducing pressure in the WSSs. There is also a slight decrease in water consumption in connected properties. Nevertheless, consumption is also affected by other factors, the quantification of which is not trivial. However, there is still a lack of much relevant information to enter into this analysis and subsequent decision making. This article focuses on water consumption and its prediction, using regression models designed for an experiment regarding an administrative building in the Czech Republic (CZ). The variables considered are pressure and climatological factors (temperature and humidity). The effects of these variables on the consumption are separately evaluated, subsequently multidimensional models are discussed with the common inclusion of selected combinations of predictors. Separate evaluation results in a value of the N₃ coefficient, according to the FAVAD concept used for prediction of changes in water consumption related to pressure. The statistical inference is based on the maximum likelihood method. The proposed regression models are tested to evaluate their suitability, particularly, the models are compared using a cross-validation procedure. The significance tests for parameters and model reduction are based on asymptotic properties of the likelihood ratio statistics. Pressure is confirmed in each regression model as a significant variable.

The paper presents results and sensitivity analysis of the results of a real detailed study focused on changes in water consumption and its unevenness with changing pressure conditions in a particular observed office building. The dependence of water consumption on pressure is expressed using the FAVAD equation using the N₃ coefficient. Parameters for sensitivity analysis are number of workers in the building, pulse value from water meter and length of time step for expressing unevenness of water consumption during the day.

The paper focuses on the issue of drinking water supply without use of any disinfectants. Before the public water supply network operator begins to consider switching to operation without use of chemical disinfection, initial assessment should be made, whether or not the water supply system in question is suitable for this type of operation. The assessment is performed by applying the decision algorithm. The initial assessment is followed by another decision algorithm which serves for managing and controlling the process of switching to drinking water supply without use of a disinfectant. The paper also summarizes previous experience and knowledge of this way operated public water supply systems in the Czech Republic.