What types of bacteria may be in the ocean, bay or harbor waters?
Water samples are analyzed for indicator bacteria – total coliform, fecal coliform and enterococcus – which indicate possible pollution from numerous sources including fecal waste. They are called indicator bacteria because they are relatively easy to collect and analyze, and may indicate the presence of harmful viruses, bacteria or protozoa (also known as pathogens). Collecting and measuring the disease-causing organisms directly is difficult.
