Microbiological Testing

Bacteria are some of the most interesting organisms around. From harmful to helpful, these single-celled organisms tell us a lot about the environment they are in.

For those in the drinking water industry, be it municipal or private, Escherichia coli and Total Coliform are the main indicator bacteria to test for to determine if your treatment process was sufficient. The presence of either of these bacteria indicates that other enteric pathogens may also be present. Wastewater effluent with high counts also flag a treatment problem.

Iron-reducing and sulphate-reducing bacteria can degrade water quality in terms of odour and taste and can create problematic biofilms. Not to mention they readily convert elemental mercury to its more toxic form of methylmercury.

Legionella is another naturally occurring bacteria which, in higher concentrations, can cause serious and sometimes fatal lung infection. Check out our handy Information Sheet to learn more about these bacteria.

Blue green algae are a type of cyanobacteria that thrive in warm, nutrient-rich water bodies and can produce potentially harmful toxins (microcystins). We test for these and a whole lot more! Including cost-effective test packages for some of the more common drinking water parameters.

Sampling and shipping protocols for bacteria testing are quite prescriptive. Be sure to learn more through our Sampling Guidance documents, or by contacting us directly!