This image shows a dog waste sign
Dog waste sign

In water quality monitoring, specific disease-producing (pathogenic) organisms are not easily identified. Testing for them is difficult, expensive, and time-consuming. Instead, fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli (E. coli), two closely related bacteria groups, can indicate the presence of pathogens. Fecal coliform and E. coli found in Minnesota rivers and streams may come from human, pet, livestock, and wildlife waste and are more common in heavily populated or farmed areas. Bacteria may reach surface water through malfunctioning or illicit septic system connections, urban stormwater, manure spills or runoff, and more (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency website, accessed January 25, 2018).

This page provides links to pages with information on bacteria and pathogens as they relate to stormwater and impacts of stormwater on receiving waters.

Media in category "Level 2 - Pollutants/Bacteria and pathogens"

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This page was last edited on 9 February 2023, at 13:12.