Bacteria in Surface Waters

 Why testing is important:

Total coliform bacteria are a collection of relatively harmless microorganisms that live in large numbers in the intestines of humans as well as warm-blooded and cold blooded animals. They aid in the digestion of food.

A specific subgroup of this collection is the fecal coliform bacteria, the most common member being Escherichia coli (E coli). These organisms are separated from the total coliform group by their ability to grow at elevated temperatures and are associated only with the fecal material of warm-blooded animals.

The presence of fecal coliform bacteria in water indicates contamination from fecal material either from man or other animals. When this occurs, the source water may have been contaminated by pathogens or disease producing bacteria and viruses which can also exist in fecal material. Some waterborne pathogenic diseases include typhoid fever, viral and bacterial gastroenteritis and hepatitis A. The presence of fecal contamination is an indicator that a potential health risk exists for individuals exposed to this water. Fecal coliform bacteria may occur in a water supply as a result of the overflow of a domestic sewage or non point sources of human and animal waste.