What are fecal coliforms and where do they come from?
Fecal-coliform bacteria are a group of bacteria that inhabit the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals. The presence of fecal-coliform bacteria in water indicates fecal contamination of the water by a warm-blooded animal and harmful bacteria associated with fecal contamination may also be present. Find out more about E. coli baxteria (external link) Find out more about coliform bacteria. How does the stream water get contaminated? Elevated levels of fecal-coliform bacteria in streams and rivers are a result of fecal contamination from warm-blooded animals. Humans, dogs, cats, cows, as well as wildlife such as geese, deer, and beavers are all examples of possible sources of contamination. The pathways these bacteria take to get into streams and rivers are varied and depend on which sources contribute and the hydrologic conditions. Fecal-coliform bacteria from cattle might be washed into a stream from a pasture during rainfall, geese and ducks might defecate directly into a stream or
