自1994年以来，泰晤士水务公司运营了一个长1.3公里、直径100毫米的直流管道系统，以研究影响配水网络水质变化的关键因素。作为这些研究的一部分，从供水罐和管道长度上的三个点对水样、各种材料的管段和试样（铁和聚乙烯）进行取样，以计数细菌并测定三磷酸腺苷（ATP）水平。ATP已被用于许多行业，作为微生物污染的快速测量，并可用于评估水支持生物生长的潜力。该研究旨在比较传统的平板计数测试与生物膜和水样的ATP测量，并评估ATP测量在确定配水系统中生物活性方面的价值。

Thames Water Utilities has operated a 1.3 km long, 100 mm diameter, once through pipe system since 1994 to study key factors affecting water quality changes through distribution networks. As part of these studies, water samples, pipe sections of various materials and coupons (iron and polyethylene) have been sampled from the supply tank and three points along the length of the pipe, to enumerate bacteria and determine adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels. ATP has been used in many industries as a rapid measure of microbiological contamination and can be used to assess the potential of water to support biological growth. The study was conducted to compare traditional plate count testing with ATP measurements for biofilm and water samples and to assess the value of ATP measurements for determining biological activity in water distribution systems.