What exactly are total coliform, fecal coliform, and enterococcus?
Total coliform consist of a large group of bacteria that may inhabit the intestinal tracts of both humans and animals. They are also found naturally in water, soils, and vegetation. Fecal coliform are a subgroup of total coliform bacteria. Their presence is highly correlated with fecal contamination from warm-blooded animals including humans. Water quality testing in Humboldt County indicates that Escherichia coli, a species of fecal coliform, comprises essentially all of the fecal coliform in this region. E. coli also has a higher degree of association with outbreaks of certain diseases than fecal coliform. Thus, in Humboldt County we are testing only for E. coli rather than fecal coliform. Enterococcus, sometimes referred to as fecal streptococcus, is also an intestinal bacterium used to indicate fecal contamination from mammals and birds.
