AWWA WQTC69475

There are many methods available for the detection of coliforms and E.coli in drinking water and several are approved for use for regulatory compliance purposes. However, there is a recognition that some methods target different groups of organisms and consequently may give different results. Furthermore there are differences between the sensitivity and specificity of the different procedures which can lead to further disagreement between methods. Recognizing this, AwwaRF and the United Kingdom Drinking Water Inspectorate have funded a study to compare the performance of all methods approved for compliance monitoring in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. The study has been designed to use both pure cultures and naturally contaminated materials to draw conclusions as to the suitability of the different methods. Furthermore, the results generated by the comparison studies are being used to determine the best method for analyzing comparison data. Includes abstract only.