Water sample analysis at the Air Allergen lab

WATER MICROBIOLOGY ANALYSIS

Bacterial and Indicator Organism Analysis for Water Systems.

Defensible water microbiology data for healthcare, hospitality, municipal, and industrial programs. From routine compliance panels to outbreak forensics, you collect; we analyze and report.

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Why Run a Water Microbiology Panel?

Bacterial and indicator-organism analysis is the keystone of any water management or compliance program. It validates that source, treatment, and distribution are working together, and it surfaces risk before an exposure event happens.

Microbiologist preparing water samples for analysis

Indicator Organisms and Pathogens We Analyze

Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC)

General microbial population indicator. Tracks distribution-system health and treatment effectiveness over time.

Total Coliforms and E. coli

Standard indicators of fecal contamination required by EPA and most state primacy programs.

Fecal Coliforms

Subset of coliforms originating from warm-blooded animals. Useful for source tracking and recreational water programs.

Enterococci

Preferred indicator for recreational marine and fresh water under EPA recreational water criteria.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Opportunistic pathogen and biofilm marker. Especially relevant for healthcare and process water.

Iron and Sulfur Bacteria

Nuisance organisms responsible for taste, odor, staining, and corrosion in distribution and well systems.

Sample Types We Process

Potable Distribution

Building taps, fountains, ice makers, and filtered points-of-use across municipal and well-fed systems.

Source and Well Water

Private wells, cisterns, and source intakes serving residential, agricultural, and commercial sites.

Recreational Water

Pools, spas, splash pads, lakes, and beach-front sampling for facility and public-health programs.

Healthcare Water Systems

Hot- and cold-water loops, point-of-use fixtures, and hydrotherapy systems supporting infection-prevention programs.

Process and Industrial Water

Food and beverage process water, agricultural irrigation, and industrial wash systems.

Cooling Towers and HVAC

Cooling tower bulk and fill samples to track microbial loading and biofilm risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most programs start with a heterotrophic plate count plus total coliforms and E. coli. From there we layer in pathogens or indicators that match your regulatory framework, source water, and risk profile.

We provide sterile sampling bottles with sodium thiosulfate where chlorine is present. Samples should be kept on ice and arrive at the lab within recommended hold times, typically 24 to 30 hours depending on the analyte.

Yes. Our team coordinates rush intake, method pairing, and reporting cadence so investigators get usable data fast. Call before you ship for a priority workflow.

Why Choose Air Allergen for Water Microbiology?

ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory with documented chain of custody
Independent analytical lab without remediation conflicts of interest
Method pairings aligned with EPA, Standard Methods, and state primacy expectations
Plain-language reporting with limit comparisons your team can act on
Rapid response support for outbreak and compliance pressure scenarios

Lab HQService area

Where We Analyze Water Samples

Ship samples or coordinate field collection across the Southeast. Sample analysis is performed at our ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited facility in Atlanta.

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Tennessee
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Lab HQ. Atlanta

States served

ISO 17025:2017

Accredited lab

Same-day

Reporting available

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For hospitals, pharmacies, and commercial facilities