Like faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci are applied as indicators for water pollution. The presence of faecal streptococci indicates the presence of faecal pathogens in water.
Faecal streptococci have a number of characteristics, distinguishing them from faecal colibacteria:
- Are a less specific indicator for pathogens in faeces; because of their great resistance they also survive on other locations besides the stomach and intestines
- Are more suitable for food sampling than surface water sampling
- Are present in faeces in lower numbers than coliforms
- Always or almost always present in human and animal faeces; coliforms are sometimes absent
- Incredible resistance to changing conditions
Facal colibacteria and faecal streptococci are both parameters for the indication of clean swimming water conditions.