WHO estimates that 1.8 billion people globally use a source of drinking water that is faecally contaminated. Although most strains of E. coli bacteria are harmless, certain strains, such as E. coli 0157:H7, may cause illness. The WHO Drinking Water Quality Guideline for E. coli is non-detectable per 100ml of water. Maximum Acceptable Concentration for Drinking Water is equal to non-detectable per 100ml of water. E.coli in drinking water indicates the water has been contaminated with faecal material that may contain disease-causing microorganisms, such as certain bacteria, viruses or parasites.

Source: The Star March 26, 2019 06:00 UTC