What are E. Coli and Fecal Coliform?
The vast majority of bacteria in streams and lakes are ‘good’ bacteria. They do not cause diseases and are necessary for healthy ecosystems to function properly. In almost all cases of water-borne illnesses the disease causing organisms, technically called pathogens or pathogenic organisms, come from the untreated waste or feces of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Direct testing for pathogens is expensive and impractical, as pathogens are rarely found because they usually occur sporadically and mostly at low levels. Instead, public health agencies look for the presence of “indicator” species, so called because their presence indicates that fecal contamination may have occurred. The two most commonly used indicators for recreational waters are fecal coliforms and E. coli (short for Escherichia coli). These are bacteria that live in the lower intestines of warm-blooded animals, including wildlife, farm animals, pets, and humans, and are excreted in their feces. In fact, the bacter
