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Bacteria Testing for Bacteria Fact Sheet Why Test for Bacteria? Technical Specification |
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Bacteria
When a bacterial contamination occurs, there are always multiple strains present - a toxic strain of Pseudomonas or E. coli is always vastly outnumbered by other bacteria. To maximize the sensitivity for Pseudomonas and other toxic species, the Watersafe? Bacteria Test detects a wide range of bacteria, including both toxic and non-toxic strains. As with microbiological tests for food and drinking water, the idea is to detect a bacterial contamination, rather than a single toxic strain. Health authorities, on the other hand, sometimes use laboratory culture tests that actually look for specific toxic strains. If the Watersafe® Bacteria Test is positive, that does not mean that people will necessarily get sick - it means that the pool/spa contains bacteria among which there may be toxic Pseudomonas or E. coli or Shigella or Salmonella, etc.
Testing for Bacteria
Currently, testing for bacteria in pool and
spa water involves collecting the sample,
transporting it to a lab, and then waiting for
results of an incubation-based assay – a process
that can take 24-48 hours. But what happens
while you wait? Not only are users exposed to
unknown health risks, but the water quality may
change. When the test results come back, it is
an indication of yesterday's water quality, not
today's.
Now there is a test that detects bacteria in
pool and spa water in less than 20 minutes, with
a simple, on-site procedure that requires no
instrumentation or user training. Silver Lake
Research Corporation (SLRC) has developed the
Watersafe® Bacteria Test , the
world's first truly rapid test kit for bacteria
in water. Now, you can test your water on the
spot, and the result may prevent you from
acquiring recreational water illnesses (RWIs).
This revolutionary test kit is based on proprietary immunochemical reagents and formats developed by SLRC. The Watersafe® Bacteria Test has all the accuracy and reliability of a lab test, but in a disposable test strip similar to a home pregnancy test. The combination of ease-of-use, speed, and reliability add up to an ideal screening and monitoring method for all types of water samples.
Fact
Sheet
— Using proprietary technologies, Silver Lake
Research Corporation, a Monrovia, California biotech
firm has developed the Watersafe® Bacteria
Test for pools and spas, the first
do-it-yourself test kit to monitor levels of harmful
bacteria in swimming pools and spas.
— The Watersafe® Bacteria Test is
affordable, fast (under twenty minutes from start to
finish) and gives reliable, lab-accurate results on
the spot!
— E.coli bacteria are responsible for an estimated
73,000 cases of infection and 61 deaths per year in
the United States (Center for Disease Control and
Prevention).
— An E.coli infection often times causes severe
diarrhea and abdominal cramps (although some cases
show no visible signs of infection) and the patient
will be releasing dangerous bacteria through bodily
waste for days or weeks after symptoms go away.
— E.coli bacteria were responsible for the 1998
Atlanta White Water Swim Park outbreak that struck
26 children who swam in a kid's wading pool,
hospitalizing 7 and killing 1.
— Swimming is the second most popular activity in
the United States with approximately 360 million
annual visits to recreational water venues.
— There are more than 15 million swimming pools and
spas in the United States.
— Over 60% of recreational pools and spas tested by
the CDC have inadequate disinfection levels.
— The CDC documented a total of 21,561 violations of
pool codes during 22,131 inspections in 2002.
— During these inspections, Chlorine and pH
violations were highest in wading pools, which are
used by younger children, including those who wear
diapers, followed by medical/therapy pools and
hotel/motel pools.
— Dangerous pathogens, such as bacteria, thrive in
water. A pool or spa filled with improperly
disinfected water is an ideal environment for
disease-carrying bacteria to move from one person to
another, spreading RWIs (Recreational Water
Illnesses).
— Many RWIs are caused by waterborne bacteria such
as E.coli and Shigella.
— Chlorine is by far the most popular pool disinfectant used. Chlorine degrades and evaporates when exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun and heat, and it may combine with other chemicals to form new compounds. For example, chlorine may degrade to produce chloramines (which have no disinfectant qualities).
— The distinctive smell and eye irritation
associated with swimming pools are actually due to
Chloramines, not ordinary Chlorine -- a strong smell
usually means there is too little Free Chlorine,
rather than too much.
— The Watersafe® Bacteria Test for
pools and spas is the only seventeen-minute,
do-it-yourself water safety test on the market
today. The Watersafe? bacteria test is affordably
priced, easy to use, easy to understand, and offers
quick and accurate results.
— Until now, accurate testing for contaminants was
only available through expensive analytical
laboratories using complicated and time-consuming
methods.
Why Test for Bacteria?a
IS YOUR WATER SAFE? When it comes to
safety, everything else is secondary. The same
should be true in the pools and spas that we swim in
and allow our children to swim in. The
Watersafe® Bacteria Test for pools and spas
is easy enough for anyone to use, and is priced
within reach of any pool or spa owner and operator.
Until now, the only method of testing for bacteria
in a pool or spa was not feasible for most owners
and operators. With the Watersafe® Bacteria
Test for pools and spas, water quality /
safety should never be left to chance.
FAST, ACCURATE, AND EASY-TO-USE: the Watersafe® Bacteria Test is affordable (under $2 per test), fast (under twenty minutes from start to finish) and yields reliable, lab-accurate results on the spot. There is no other test like it. With its combined ease of use, speed, and affordability, the Watersafe® Bacteria Test brings new levels of pool safety to every customer.
WATER QUALITY CHANGES: Chemicals evaporate and dissipate, especially as bather load increases or temperature rises. If the water balance or disinfectant levels are outside of the normal range, the pool is especially susceptible. All it takes is the introduction of bacteria at the right time to create a major outbreak that can make everyone sick.
PROTECT SWIMMERS FROM RWIs AND YOURSELF FROM LIABILITY: Due to drastic rises in swimming-related illnesses over the past several years, the CDC has created a new term: RWI (Recreational Water Illness). Most RWIs are caused by bacterial contamination of the pool or spa. RWIs are dangerous, painful, and can hit both children and adults. Common effects of RWIs include earaches, stomachaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and eye irritation. By testing for potentially dangerous RWI-causing bacteria, you may prevent many RWI outbreaks.
SOME BACTERIA ARE CHLORINE-RESISTANT: In a 2002 study by the CDC, over 60% of tested pools and spas had inadequate levels of disinfection. If chlorine levels are inadequate in such a high number of tested pools, and some bacteria are resistant to proper levels of chlorine, who's to say that any pool is safe? Remember that all it takes is one momentary drop in chlorine level and a strain of chlorine-resistant bacteria can infect your pool or spa. nce some bacteria are introduced, it can take up to five days in a properly chlorinated pool to kill them.
KNOW WHEN TO CHANGE WATER, SAVE WATER, LOST HEATING, AND LOST CHEMICALS: Until now, pool and spa operators who were concerned about their guests' health had only one option to guarantee the quality of the water in pools and spas: change the water. Without knowing if the water is good or bad, it was simply a shot in the dark. Changing water is a delicate balancing act- unnecessary changes cost money in lost water, heating, and chemicals, and changing too late can result in RWIs among bathers. Regular testing will help pinpoint when is the best time to change water, eliminating guess work
Technical Specifications
Procedure
Under 20 minutes, no incubation
On-site, no transit of sample required
No chemicals to add or measure
No power source required
Readout / Result
Immediate
Visual
No instrumentation ruggedness
Water Temperature: 40? - 110? F
pH: 4 – 10
Total Chlorine: 0-50 ppm
Bromine: 0- 40 ppm
18 month shelf life
Applications
Swimming Pools
Spas
Lakes and rivers
Other recreational water venues
Detection Range
Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, E.coli, species of
Salmonella, Shigella, Enterobacter, Klebsiella and
many other Coliform and non-Coliform bacteria.
Information from www.discovertesting.com
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