What is E. coli?
Escherichia coli or E. coli is a type of fecal coliform bacteria that is commonly found in the intestines of animals and humans. While not a health threat in itself, it is used to indicate whether other potentially harmful bacteria may be present. E. coli in water is a strong indicator of sewage or animal waste contamination. Sewage and animal waste can contain many types of disease-causing organisms. The abundance of E. coli in water is commonly reported in terms of MPN, which stands for most probable number and is the statistical outcome from a series of measurement steps used to determine number of organisms present in a water sample. (Source: EPA)
For more information about the history of E. coli and how it is measured: FDA
Explore E.coli conditions for the Central Wasatch Mountains by clicking on site locations on the map.
