How much time is involved in E. coli monitoring?
A. In addition to the core water quality parameters, collecting and plating a bacteria sample takes about 30 minutes. You also must be available 24 hours later to read the plates after incubation. Counting the E. coli colonies, treating the petri dishes and documenting results could take up to an hour, but usually only requires 15-20 minutes once monitors become familiar with the procedure.
