Project Number: 6602-13000-023-05
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Sep 01, 2006
End Date: Aug 31, 2009

Objective:
Determine the effects of land use and waste water treatment facilities on pathogen and indicator organism transport in a Coastal Plain River Basin (Satilla River Basin). Determine if pathogens are associated with specific animal productions systems such as beef cattle or poultry houses. Determine if pathogens are associated with processing wastewater and whether they are effectively killed by wastewater treatment.

Approach:
Sample eleven different streamflow sites and influent to Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) for Salmonella, Campylobacter, and bacterial indicators (Escherichia coli, fecal coliform, and fecal enterococcus. Use the state of the art chemical and molecular techniques to determine if pathogens found in streams and in WWTP effluent are genetically similar to organisms in the manure sources in agricultural areas. Correlate the presence of indicator bacteria and pathogens as a measure of water quality.