MIC Involvement in Damaged Water Pipes

Water is essential for life, for the economy, and plays an important role in climate regulation. Cyprus is among the 25 countries in the world facing extremely high water stress each year. Among some of the problems experienced within drinking water networks is distribution losses, especially in countries under severe water stress. Damaged pipes are a significant source of water loss, which impacts even further on the existing high water stress. Among other factors accounting for water loss,corrosion and aging is a major cause of pipe damage. The present proposal aims to demonstrate the potential involvement of microorganisms in corrosion, a fact that is not usually considered by experts. Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) refers to corrosion caused by the presence and activities of microorganisms – microalgae, bacteria, archaea, and fungi. While
microorganisms do not produce unique types of corrosion, they can accelerate corrosion reactions or shift corrosion mechanisms. Many industries and infrastructure are affected by MIC, including oil production, power generation, transportation, and water and wastewater. This project represents the first of its kind in Cyprus and will provide knowhow to the industry and government authorities on how to use multiple lines of evidence to evaluate cases of corrosion in pipes, and their prevention
and mitigation.