Title: Significance of indicator bacteria in a regionalised wastewater treatment plant and receiving waters

Authors: D. Manville, E.J. Kleintop, B.J. Miller, E.M. Davis, J.J. Mathewson, T.D. Downs

Addresses: School of Public Health, The University of Texas-Houston, P.O. Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, USA. ' School of Public Health, The University of Texas-Houston, P.O. Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, USA. ' School of Public Health, The University of Texas-Houston, P.O. Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, USA. ' School of Public Health, The University of Texas-Houston, P.O. Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, USA. ' School of Public Health, The University of Texas-Houston, P.O. Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, USA. ' School of Public Health, The University of Texas-Houston, P.O. Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, USA

Abstract: A regional wastewater treatment plant was found to be discharging high concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria in excess of acceptable surface water criteria. An investigation of the sources of those bacteria showed their origins to have been environmental, primarily from a pulp and paper mill. False positive and false negative fecal coliforms were also found and enumerated. These bacteria were found to increase in numbers through the treatment plant, unlike sewage treatment plants in which they decrease to the effluent.

Keywords: E. coli; environmental source; false positives; fecal coliforms; Klebsiella; paper mill waste; wastewater treatment; bacteria.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2001.004840

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2001 Vol.15 No.4, pp.461 - 466

Published online: 07 Jul 2004 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article