Magnitude of pollution indicator organisms in rural potable water

Sandhu, Shingara S.; Warren, William; Nelson, Peter O.

doi:10.1128/aem.37.4.744-749.1979

Cited by 26 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Fecal coliforms were detected in almost one-third of the water supplies (Table 1), a lower incidence than the 48% reported by Sworobuk et al (52) during a previous study of water systems in this study area. In comparison, Sandhu et al (43) reported detection of fecal coliforms in 43% of groundwater supplies surveyed in South Carolina.…”

Section: And Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Detection of Acinetobacter spp. in rural drinking water supplies

Bifulco

Shirey

Bissonnette

1989

Appl Environ Microbiol

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A bacteriological survey was conducted of untreated, individual groundwater supplies in Preston County, W.Va. Nearly 60% of the water supplies contained total coliforms in excess of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 1 CFU/100 ml. Approximately one-third of the water systems contained fecal coliforms and/or fecal streptococci. Acinetobacter spp. were detected in 38% of the groundwater supplies at an arithmetic mean density of 8 CFU/100 ml and were present in 16% of the water supplies in the absence of total coliforms, posing some concern about the usefulness of total coliforms as indicators of the presence of this opportunistic pathogen. Slime production, a virulence factor for A. calcoaceticus, was not significantly different between well water isolates and clinical strains, suggesting some degree of pathogenic potential for strains isolated from groundwater. In addition, several Acinetobacter isolates were able to interfere with sheen production by some coliform bacteria on M-Endo medium, adding further to the possible significance of Acinetobacter spp. in groundwater supplies.

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Section: And Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Detection of Acinetobacter spp. in rural drinking water supplies

Bifulco

Shirey

Bissonnette

1989

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Water quality surveys of domestic wells in some unsewered areas in North America have produced evidence of widespread chemical and microbial contamination of groundwaters (Woodward et al 1961;Hickey & Duncan 1966). Some studies have specifically attributed deterioration in groundwater quality with respect to determinants such as nitrates, detergents, and coliform bacteria to individual household cess pools and septic tank drainfields (Smith & Myott 1975;Sandhu et al 1979;De Walle & Schaff 1980). Disease outbreaks, attributable to the ingestion of contaminated groundwater, have been reported by a number of authors and recent cases in North America have been reviewed by Craun (1979).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A groundwater quality survey of an unsewered, semi‐rural area

Sinton

1982

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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A baseline groundwater quality survey of 120 household wells in an unsewered area at Yaldhurst, near Christchurch, was carried out between September and December, 1976. Ammonia-N levels were below the detection limit (0.02 g m-3) in all samples. Nitrate-N, conductivity, and chloride levels tended to vary according to well depth and location, being lower in the deeper wells and in wells located in an area of shallow, stony soils. Approximately 33% of the wells contained coliform bacteria, faecal coliform bacteria or faecal streptococci. A subset of 25 wells was sampled fortnightly from January to August 1977. From January to June, mean nitrate-N and conductivity levels remained stable at approximately 1.5 g m-3 and 11.2 mS m-1 respectively. An increase in these levels to 3.3 g m-3 and 15.8 mS m-1 in July-August corresponded with a rise in the water table. Leaching losses from soils probably accounted for most of the nitrate entering the Yaldhurst aquifers, the contribution by septic tank systems being estimated at 20-30%. No direct evidence of contamination of the wells by septic tank effluent was found, although 23 of the 25 wells exhibited intermittent contamination by indicator bacteria throughout the 8 month sampling programme. Although a localised health hazard may exist, septic tank systems in the area were not considered likely to constitute a health threat to the confined aquifers underlying Christchurch city.

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“…In addition, total plate count bacteria were isolated and identified. Although other rural drinking water supplies have been sampled (20,27), the present report is the first seasonal study of drinking water supplies conducted in a recently populated rural neighborhood zoned by modern methods.…”

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confidence: 99%

Bacterial Contamination of Drinking Water Supplies in a Modern Rural Neighborhood

Lamka

LeChevallier

Seidler

1980

Appl Environ Microbiol

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On six occasions during a 15-month period, the private well and spring water supplies in a modern rural neighborhood of 78 households were examined for total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, and standard plate count bacteria. More than one-third of the water supplies were unsatisfactory on at least one occasion as judged by standard plate counts over 103/ml and the presence of coliforms, fecal coliforms, and/or S. aureus. Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli were the most frequently isolated total coliforms. At least 12 other genera of bacteria were identified from standard plate count agar. Coliform contamination was found to be higher after periods of rainfall, and high standard plate counts were more prevalent during warmer weather. These observations probably reflect leakage of surface water into improperly sealed wells or aquifer contamination during winter and the lack of chlorination to control microbial regrowth during the warm season. An inverse correlation was found between the presence of high standard plate counts and incidence of coliforms. Consumer education and at least a twice yearly monitoring of private water supplies (winter and summer) are suggested methods to signal that treatment may be necessary to reduce the risk of waterborne disease.

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Magnitude of pollution indicator organisms in rural potable water

Cited by 26 publications

References 2 publications

Detection of Acinetobacter spp. in rural drinking water supplies

Detection of Acinetobacter spp. in rural drinking water supplies

A groundwater quality survey of an unsewered, semi‐rural area

Bacterial Contamination of Drinking Water Supplies in a Modern Rural Neighborhood

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