Water Bacteriology Testing for Total Coliform/E.coli

Testing for total coliform and E. coli organisms in drinking water is required by the EPA for all public water systems on an ongoing basis and annual testing is recommended for private individuals with their own water well systems. Water suitable for human consumption must be free of these organisms to be considered safe to drink. In Texas, public drinking water systems are overseen and regulated by the EPA through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The Tarrant County Public Health North Texas Regional Laboratory (NTRL) is a TCEQ accredited laboratory certified to test drinking water for total coliform and E. coli bacteria. The NTRL offers total coliform/E. coli testing to public water systems for ongoing regulatory compliance and to private individuals to assess the quality of their drinking water.

Tarrant County Public Health North Texas Regional Laboratory no longer provides water chemistry testing.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) website maintains a continuously updated list of currently accredited chemistry laboratories and the methods they use.

Additional information on Water Quality and Testing

    Water Quality Association

    The Private Well Class

    Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)       

    The United States Environmental Protection Agency

    Private Drinking Water Wells

    U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Well Testing