Posted by DanH on March 21, 2015, 11:04 am, in reply to "Re: Water Testing"
187.148.142.124
"Enterococci are a subgroup within the fecal streptococcus group. Enterococci are distinguished by their ability to survive in salt water, and in this respect they more closely mimic many pathogens than do the other indicators. Enterococci are typically more human-specific than the larger fecal streptococcus group. EPA recommends enterococci as the best indicator of health risk in salt water used for recreation and as a useful indicator in fresh water as well."
http://water.epa.gov/type/rsl/monitoring/vms511.cfm
I suggest you all read this reference carefully as it details the proper method for determining beach pollution. Quickie test kits do not produce reliable results. E Coli testing is not reliable for beach water testing as explained above.
You have confirmed human waste flowing via the lagoon onto the beach in close proximity to where people are swimming. The pathogens that are found in sewage, such as salmonella, can and will persist in seawater for days.
The fact that you used a quickie test kit that do3sn't test for the right indicator organism should not delude you into thinking this flow of sewage is somehow miraculously and instantly being absorbed and neutralized.
Any public health officer would look at that overflowing sewage and close this beach immediately until it was stopped and sufficient time has passed for certain pathogen die off, about 4 days.
At this time, there are not a lot of fully proven methods for quick and accurate beach water testing. Here are several:
http://www.beachapedia.org/Rapid_Indicators_for_Beach_Water_Testing
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