Ecology & Safety, Volume 9, 2015

Abstract: Drinking water in the distribution system is subject to a number of physical-chemical changes that may have significant adverse effects on its quality. The extent and intensity of the changes depends on the operation of distribution system and the interaction between water and pipe material. The pilot-scale tests of the effect of water quality on materials in contact with drinking water were performed at two group water supply systems Nova Bystrica - Čadca - Žilina and Hriňová - Lučenec – Fiľakovo which differ in quality and disinfection methods (chlorine, chlorine dioxide) of water supplied. The following materials were used to assess the effect of water quality: steel, cast iron, polyethylene and polypropylene. The exposure time ranged from 210 to 363 days. The evaluation of the interaction between water and materials was based on determining the mass loss in relation to the mass of test standards before the exposure, expressed in percentage.