Bluewater Bioscience Inc. applications

In rural areas, most people rely on private water supplies such as wells or adjacent surface waters in lakes and rivers. Privately owned water supplies for individuals are not regulated by the government. Unlike consumers of municipal water, residents with wells or those extracting water from adjacent lakes or rivers are responsible for making sure their water supply is safe to drink. Rural homeowners often spend hundreds of dollars installing water filters without knowing how successful the filtration system is in eliminating bacterial contamination.

Bacterial indicators are enumerated in surface/recreational waters to assess the presence and level of fecal contamination and thus determine the potential for disease. Total Coliforms and E. Coli are widely used in regulatory monitoring of surface waters. E. Coli is specific to fecal sources and is therefore recommended as the main indicator of fecal pollution. E. Coli is present in extremely large numbers in the feces of all mammals, and does not multiply appreciably in the environment outside of its host. The presence of E. Coli in water indicates that fecal contamination from humans or other warm-blooded animals has occurred. If levels of E. Coli, in surface waters are found to be greater than guideline levels, it is probable that pathogenic organisms are also present.

Poverty, high density populations, environmental devastation and civil unrest prevalent in many developing countries exacerbates the widespread health implications of bacterial water contamination. Furthermore these conditions challenge the implementation of any potential water testing efforts.

The bacterial contamination of lakes and streams has become increasingly problematic. This issue is now at the forefront of government’s environmental priorities and has recently received a great deal of attention as incidences of water contamination and media coverage of such events has heightened public concern. Our bacterial water testing kits offer a solution to government agencies requiring rapid detection of bacteria in drinking, recreational and other water sources. Our kits are ideal for sampling and testing in remote areas where lab facilities are not available. They are also used by agencies with sophisticated lab facilities and are the preferred choice over the older traditional methods.