Water from various sources such as drinking water, recreational waters, and environmental waters are examined microbiologically, in order to monitor the levels of certain groups of organisms, or for the presence of pathogens. For satisfactory monitoring, frequent and regular testing is required, and therefore a programme of quality assurance to ensure the monitoring is reliable, is essential for any microbiological testing. Recreational and environmental waters include marine and fresh bathing waters, as well as treated bathing, spa, and leisure pool waters.
Fapas offer proficiency tests for
- Drinking water
- Bathing water
- Swimming pool / spa water
- Environmental water
The tests include the enumeration of indicator organism such as E. coli, Coliforms and total viable counts, as well as detection of pathogens, including Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., E. coli O157:H7, Legionella spp., Cryptosporidium, and Giardia.
Drinking Water
Total coliforms and E. coli in Drinking Water Proficiency Test
This proficiency test looks at your testing ability for Total coliforms and E. coli in drinking water. These organisms can provide an accurate indication of water quality, and therefore ensure only safe drinking water is being passed to consumers.
Colony Counts in Drinking Water Proficiency Test
This proficiency test can allow you to evaluate your testing ability when conducting colony counts at both 22°C/3 days & 37°C/2 days.
This analysis allows you to check that the water has been correctly treated and the overall level of bacteria is within the levels required by the relevant legislation.
Enterococci, Clostridium perfringens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Drinking Water Proficiency Test
These proficiency tests allow you to evaluate your methods used to enumerate the target organisms of enterococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Clostridium perfringens and monitor your laboratories performance over time.
Organism Identification in Drinking Water Proficiency Test
This proficiency test can enable you to evaluate your testing ability when identifying any organisms associated with drinking water.
Cryptosporidium / Giardia oocyst enumeration only
Cryptosporidium and Giardia are common mammalian pathogens which can enter rivers and reservoirs which collect water from agricultural pastures. Treated water entering distribution is normally regulated for oocysts, and very low levels are normally permitted. Accurate enumeration is therefore essential to ensure compliance with the regulations.
Cryptosporidium / Giardia oocyst recovery
Oocysts can survive for long periods in waters that have become contaminated, and they pose a risk of causing widespread illness if not controlled. Add to this their relative resistance to chlorination and it is important that their presence in drinking water is reliably detected.
Bathing Water
E. coli and enterococci in Bathing Water Proficiency Test
Bathing water quality is monitored throughout Europe to ensure the health of recreational water users is protected as much as possible. Regular assessments are made, with the status of the water body depending upon accurate measurement of the indicator organisms present. Participation can verify your testing is accurate, so the status of the water will also be accurate.
Salmonella spp. in Bathing Water
Micro-organisms in recreational and environmental waters can include species which are potentially pathogenic to humans. Bacterial pathogens causing gastrointestinal disease include Salmonella spp.
Campylobacter spp. in Bathing Water
Micro-organisms in recreational and environmental waters can include species which are potentially pathogenic to humans.
Bacterial pathogens causing gastrointestinal disease include Campylobacter spp.
Escherichia coli 0157:H7 in Bathing Water
Micro-organisms in recreational and environmental waters can include species which are potentially pathogenic to humans.
Bacterial pathogens causing gastrointestinal disease include Escherichia coli O157:H7. E. coli O157 has been implicated with contaminated water.
Swimming Pool / Spa Water
Total Viable Count in Swimming Pool and Spa Waters Proficiency Test
This proficiency test looks at your testing ability for Total Viable Count in swimming pool and spa waters. It does not differentiate between the types of bacteria present nor does it indicate the total number of bacteria present in the water - only those capable of forming visible colonies under specified conditions on certain non-selective microbiological media. It gives a measure of the overall general quality of the pool water, and whether the filtration and disinfection systems are operating satisfactorily.
Total coliforms and E.coli in Swimming Pool and Spa Water Proficiency Test
This proficiency test looks at your testing ability for Total coliforms and E. coli in swimming pool and spa water. These organisms can provide an accurate indication of water quality, and therefore ensure only safe water is bathed in. Germs from other swimmers and unsafe water supplies can easily contaminate pool water, especially if it isn’t properly disinfected. It is therefore fundamental to utilise our proficiency test to classify the quality of water.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Coagulase Positive Staphylococci in Swimming Pool and Spa waters
This proficiency test allows you to test for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Coagulase Positive Staphylococci in Swimming Pool and Spa waters. These are opportunistic pathogens which can cause skin and ear infections if not adequately controlled, and so should be monitored regularly to ensure the disinfection system is operating correctly and not allowing these organisms to multiply in the water.
Escherichia coli O157 in Swimming pool and Spa water
Micro-organisms in recreational and environmental waters can include species which are potentially pathogenic to humans.
Bacterial pathogens causing gastrointestinal disease include Escherichia coli O157:H7, which has been implicated with contaminated water.