“Water is vital for life.  However, waterborne microbes pose a great threat to public health. Due to changing patterns in water consumption, increased pollution, nation’s ageing water treatment systems and outmoded risk assessment protocols,” said Dr Parampal Sahota, PAU Department of Microbiology, who is working on the microbial testing of water. The majority of waterborne diseases in humans are typhoid, enteric fever, enteric fever, gastroenteritis, dysentery, meningitis, Hepatitis, shigellosis, cholera, diarrhea, campylobacteriosis, amoebiasis and giardiasis among others, he said.  “Epidemic outbreak is mainly due to contamination, breakdown of treatment barriers, contamination of distribution system and use of untreated water.”  

Giving details, Dr Sahota said there is a need to improve the understanding of the effectiveness of various water treatment processes and disinfectants in removing or inactivating waterborne microorganisms.  PAU has developed a simple kit for testing the potability of water.  This is useful for microbiological testing of water for potability  and is suitable for the detection of  total coliforms, faecal indicator bacteria and faecal coliforms in drinking water, recreational water, water treatment plants, rural water supply tanks, lakes and wells, rivers and streams, housing societies, hotels and hospitals, office complexes, filters and bottling plants.  The methodology of water testing kit is simple and precisely designed for faecal bacteria in water responsible for causing water-borne diseases.  Water can be tested even after chlorination to check the efficacy of chlorine.  The testing method is simple; involving the following steps such as cutting open the aluminum foil and keeping the rubber stopper intact.

How it works?
Open the kit near the water source and water sample to be screened for potability is aseptically dispensed in kit bottles up to the calibrated mark (approximately 15 ml). The kit is allowed to stand at room temperature for 48 hours.   Faecal contamination is indicated, if the content of the bottle shows change in the colour from purple to cream yellow and popping of lid within 48 hours.  If yellow colour develops, water is not potable. If the colour of kit remains purple, then water is fit for human consumption.