A K.pneumoniae strain, isolated from a water treatment system, was tested in growth measurements for its ability to multiply at substrate concentrations of a few micrograms per liter. The organism multiplied on mixtures of carbohydrates and amino acids at a substrate concentration of 1 µg of C of each compound per liter. Tests with individual compounds revealed that especially carbohydrates were utilized at low concentrations. The Ks values obtained for maltose and maltopentaose were 53 µg of C/l and 114 µg of C per liter, respectively. The significance of the growth of K.pneumoniae at low substrate concentrations is discussed.