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Discussion on Safety of water with coliform bacteria
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Member:
mcashman
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Posted on Friday, Sep 16, 2011 - 4:59 pm:
Hi, Dr. O.
I recently had the following test results for well water at my boarding stable. Can you tell me whether this poses a danger to horses? Thanks!
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAM
Number of Coliform Bacteria
Per 100 mLs (membrane filter) TNTC*
*To Numerous to Count
Summary:
Due to the presence of Coliform bacteria this water is not classed safe for drinking. We recommend sterilizing the well and retesting. This most likely the source of odor in the water. The iron content is extremely high and well above the recommended 0.3 mg/L staining level. This is the source of the brown color in the water. The manganese content is above the recommended 0.05 mg/L staining guideline. The water is acidic in reaction and may be corrosive to piping. The ideal range for pH is 6.4 – 10.0. If there are any questions we would be pleased to discuss them with you.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 17, 2011 - 11:03 am:
Hello Mark,
I cannot tell you if this water is dangerous to your horses but it certainly lays out several concerns.
If you have compared the bacteria and mineral levels above to the recommend levels in the article on water quality associated with this area you know that they are above the recommended levels. Because it does not list the levels we do not know how much above. Concerning the bacteria not only could the E coli be a possible pathogen but the high levels suggest other pathogens may be present. I would consult the water folks about these findings and see what recommendations they can make.
DrO
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