Daily sampling reveals household-specific water microbiome signatures and shared antimicrobial resistomes in premise plumbing

A study in St. Louis, Missouri, reveals significant differences in water microbiome composition across households, with household identity being the dominant variable. The study found distinct profiles of opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs), with Mycobacterium gordonae being twice as prevalent as M. chelonae. Antimicrobial resistomes and functional gene repertoires were similar across households, likely influenced by common chloramine residuals. The findings suggest the need to incorporate household-level species variation in assessing health risks and monitoring antimicrobial resistance.