UV] irradiation, heat, and cavitation) treatment technologies (Shannon et al. 2008, Werschkun et al. 2012, 2014). Traditionally, water analysis used to assess most treatment technologies has depended on cultivation, such as the plate count or the most probable number (MPN) technique. Cultivation methods measure viability of organisms present, i.e. the ability of a cell to reproduce. Vital (live) cells can be either viable or non-viable, whereas non-vital (dead)