Monitoring the Microbial Quality of Water

Monitoring the microbial quality of water is essential due to the global impact of waterborne infections such as E. coli, Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae, Giardia, and others. This brief review outlines key physicochemical and microbiological standards and describes methods for detecting fecal and non-fecal pathogens, including culturing, optical density measurements, and molecular techniques like 16S rRNA sequencing, qPCR, and FISH. Emerging tools such as flow cytometry, microfluidics, and stable isotope probing are also discussed. Disinfection practices, especially chlorination, are evaluated alongside environmental, procedural, and usage factors critical to accurate microbial risk assessment.