Mapping total microbial communities and waterborne pathogens in household drinking water in China by citizen science and metabarcoding

Although based on a limited number of sequenced samples, this study highlights potential microbial risks in household tap water, particularly following extreme weather events. The presence of multiple opportunistic and potentially pathogenic taxa underscores the limitations of traditional indicator-based monitoring. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility and scalability of citizen science for microbial water quality survey, offering a complementary tool for national monitoring and informing future public health strategies for water safety.