Regarding the EZ Cult Bacteria Test Kit for Drinking Water,  'SansG' recently asked, "Hi, Is this test kit good for only one test or multiple tests? Thanks"

Good afternoon, and thank you for your inquiry. Each kit contains a single bottle that tests (1) one sample. If you have more than one water source to test, then you would need one kit per sample.

Why Test for Bacteria?

If you have a private well the responsibility for the quality of the water coming out of that well rests on your shoulders. No one will come out and do periodic testing to make sure you and your family have safe, clean drinking water free of coliform bacteria such as E. Coli.

If you have tap water (i.e. city water, municipal water, etc.) the water provider performs regular testing of the water for bacteria at the water treatment facility... but the water must travel through many miles of piping before it reaches your tap and at any point during that long journey bacteria could possibly find its way into the water supply -- and you would never know until after someone got sick.

What Should I Do If My Water Tests Positive for Coliform Bacteria?

Stop drinking the water right away and have the water tested by a certified water testing laboratory. Then, depending upon the results, you may need to invest in some sort of filtration system capable of rendering the bacteria incapable of reproducing (see UV Water Sterilizer) or removing them altogether (see Ceramic Water Filters).

The important part: Test your water for coliform bacteria so you can make an educated decision when it comes to purchasing or not purchasing a water filter for your home, school or office!

Today’s inquiry deals with the EZ Coliform Cult Test for coliform bacteria in water. ‘Pam’ asked, “I bought an EZ Coliform Cult test and read the instructions, but have now lost the instructions. The packaging tells everything except the incubation time and temperature. Would you please give me that information?”

Of COURSE we can assist with this request! The EZ Coliform Cult Test can have either a 24 hour incubation period or a 48 hour incubation period depending upon temperature.

• 24 hour incubation period @ 35C/95F
   
• 48 hour incubation @ 25C/77F

Why the difference in times for different temperatures? Simple: Biological activity increases at warmer temperatures meaning coliform bacteria, if present, will reproduce faster. As that happens, the increased number of bacteria naturally produce compounds that cause the test to show a ‘positive’ result.

A word of caution…

Coliform bacteria typically come from the waste products of mammals (i.e. humans, warm-blooded animals). If a properly performed coliform bacteria test gives a positive result then we highly suggest having the water source tested by a certified water quality testing laboratory and taking action(s) to remedy the situation if the lab results also come back positive for coliform bacteria.

Now before you freak out, keep in mind that the presence of fecal coliform bacteria in a body of water does not necessarily mean the water will cause a person to get sick… or die. Also, this sampling included, for the most part, outside bodies of water, not drinking water supplies.

So having said that, why should residents in that area care if ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, etc. contain fecal coliform bacteria? Simple: The presence of such a contaminant serves as a warning flag that somehow, in some way, sewer and septic systems have failed to contain human waste… and it has found a way to seep into the environment untreated.

If enough untreated sewage finds its way into the environment, a good chance exists that it may one day also find its way to a popular swimming hole in a local creek, drift around until it lingers just off the shore of a lake where people wade to cool off, and possibly even seep down into the ground where it could enter an aquifer that provides water to wells servicing the homes of unsuspecting families.

Officials in Augusta have broadened their examination of water downtown after an Augusta Chronicle analysis found elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria.

The sampling began Monday after the newspaper published a report Sunday revealing the results of water sample testing from 50 locations in Richmond, Columbia and Aiken counties.

Fecal coliform bacteria indicates that pathogens may be present and could pose a risk to human health.

Garrett Weiss, manager of the Augusta Engineering Department’s Stormwater and Environmental Section, says his department has been aware of some of the problems and is moving to correct them.

He said old, hidden sewer lines that aren’t properly hooked up to sanitary sewer systems may be to blame for the high levels. ( source )

I you or someone you know has reason to suspect contamination of their water supply with coliform bacteria or any other potentially harmful chemical element, compound, or organism, seek the assistance of a certified water testing laboratory in your area. If no labs exist in your immediate area, or they have extremely high testing rates, contact your local health department or take a look at the water testing services offered by companies like National Testing Laboratories.

Last Summer the Department of Natural Resources in Missouri allegedly delayed releasing the results of bacteria testing in Lake of the Ozarks to keep from having to shut down beaches and other popular waterfront vacation spots during a highly profitable time for the region. Needless to say that when news leaked out that some of the water test results indicated the presence of potentially harmful bacteria, people got upset — and the blame game began.

Two Missouri senators filed legislation on Thursday seeking to strip water quality testing authority away from the state Department of Natural Resources and give it to the Department of Health and Senior Services.

Sens. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, and Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, filed the bills the same day that Lager’s office released a draft Senate committee report on DNR’s decision to delay the release of water quality tests that showed high levels of bacteria at the Lake of the Ozarks last summer.

“I don’t have confidence that the department won’t mess it up again in the future,” said Lager, who headed the committee investigating the incident. “And the Department of Health and Senior Services is responsible for public health and safety.” ( source )

The more we hear about this situation, the more things that jump out at us and the more questions we have. As an example, why do people think that taking the water testing responsibilities away from one politically influenced group and handing it to another politically influenced group will make a difference?

Politics and profit run hand-in-hand and no matter WHO does the testing, when the choice between forcing business owners (local voters) to take a sizable loss in revenue or allowing (non-local) people to swim and spend money even though a slight chance exists that they may get sick from a little bacteria, well…. Which do YOU think people whose jobs depend upon political agendas will choose?

Doesn’t seem to matter WHICH agency you choose, the answer will always come out the same: Get that money.

So, in lieu of having incorruptible third party testing done, which would cost too much money and put a lot of people in government agencies out of work, the public must fend for itself if it wants to know the truth about water quality.

Personal Test Kits for Bacteria

• Coliform & E. Coli in Water Test Kit — Test kit confirms the presence/absence of coliform bacteria and, with a fluorescent light source, the presence/absence of E. Coli. Good for Drinking water applications.
• Coliform Bacteria in Water Test Kit — Test kit confirms the presence/absence of coliform bacteria in a water sample w/in 48 hours. Good for drinking water applications
• 18 Minute Bacteria Test Kit — Test kit detects E.coli, species of Salmonella, Shigella, Enterobacter, Klebsiella and many other coliform and non-coliform bacteria in 18 minutes. Excellent test for lakes, streams, ponds, rivers, etc.

• Pool & Spa Bacteria Test — Test kit detects seudomonas, Aeromonas, E.coli, species of Salmonella, Shigella, Enterobacter, Klebsiella and many other Coliform and non-Coliform bacteria in 20 minutes. Excellent test for pools & spas.

Interested in other articles related to this topic?

• Heavy Rains and Runoff Responsible for Elevated E. Coli Levels
• Dangerous Bacteria Level Cover Up?
• Water Testing Costs Money, But States Don’t Have Any!

Per the request of several men and women currently serving in the United States Armed Forces and other branches of the United States Government, we will begin posting possible alternate products for popular (established) NSN’s (National Stock Numbers) related to water quality testing. 

NSN: 6630013575910 — Presence/Absence Coliform Bacteria Tests

“PLASTIC SNAP-PACK WITH PERFORATIONS, FOR TEARING TO REMOVE POWDERED REAGENT; EACH PACKET IS ADDED TO 100 ML WATER SAMPLE TO DETERMINE THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF COLIFORM IN DRINKING WATER AFTER INCUBATION; UNIT PKG QTY: 20”

Alternative(s):

• Bacteria Check — 100 mL Presence/Absence test for coliform bacteria which does NOT require incubation. Uses bromcresol purple as the indicator which turns from purple to yellow in the presence of bacteria. 48 hour test time, packaged in sets of 12 single-use tests.

Presence/Absence Coliform Bacteria Test Kit

Note: We have found that the products suggested above meet or exceed the specifications of the original NSN item.  This does not mean, though, that they may be substituted in place of the NSN item on a Government Contract.  We provided the above information as possible sources of water quality testing products for consideration in future Contracts/Bids only.