What exactly are total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and enterococcus?
Total coliforms consist of a large group of bacteria that may inhabit the intestial tracts of both humans and animals. They may also be found in water as well as occurring naturally on leaves and in the soil. Fecal coliforms are a subgroup of total coliform bacteria. Their presence is highly correlated with fecal contamination from warm-blooded animals. Enterococcus, sometimes referred to as fecal streptococcus, is also an intestinal bacterium used to indicate fecal contamination from mammals and birds.
