Testing for E. coli in Strawberry Creek as indication of pollution By: Quan, Valerie, Derek, Nick.

Outline History of Strawberry Creek. History of Strawberry Creek. About E. coli. About E. coli. Purpose. Purpose. What we did What we did What we found What we found Real world application Real world application Conclusion. Conclusion.

History of Strawberry Creek Strawberry Creek is a major landscape feature of the University of California, Berkeley. Strawberry Creek is a major landscape feature of the University of California, Berkeley. From the early settlements of the 1770s, the upper reaches of the creek were tapped for a water supply. From the early settlements of the 1770s, the upper reaches of the creek were tapped for a water supply. lower Strawberry Creek became a sewage and that was disrupting natural flow and damaging aquatic. lower Strawberry Creek became a sewage and that was disrupting natural flow and damaging aquatic. In 1987 the UC Berkeley’s Office of Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) created the Strawberry Creek Management Plan (SCMP) to prevent the pollution of the water. In 1987 the UC Berkeley’s Office of Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) created the Strawberry Creek Management Plan (SCMP) to prevent the pollution of the water.

About E. coli E-coli E-coli Why we test for E- coli? Why we test for E- coli? Enzymes and what E- coli does to enzyme Enzymes and what E- coli does to enzyme Coliforms and what they are. Coliforms and what they are.

Purpose WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? To see if the water that we look at every single day is safe to be around. To get involved with our environment. Learn about what environmental engineers and scientist do. To teach us to how to test if drinking water is safe. To teach us to how to test if drinking water is safe.

What we did: Took water samples from 5 different sites on Strawberry Creek

What we did mixed a sample from each site with Easygel and let it sit for 2 days Looked for pink and purple colonies, indication of E. coli and coliforms Blue colonies did not indicate the presence of sewage We averaged the number of pink and purple colonies Compared our results to the Maximum contaminant Level Goal (MCLG)

How to count E. coli? Purple is E. coli. Purple is E. coli. Pink is coliforms. Pink is coliforms. Count how many purple and how many pink. Count how many purple and how many pink. This is 1 mL sample; standards are based on bacteria/100 mL, so multiply by 100. This is 1 mL sample; standards are based on bacteria/100 mL, so multiply by 100.

What we found?

Real World Regulations The MCLG for drinking water is 0 per 100 mL of water The MCLG for drinking water is 0 per 100 mL of water For recreational water, it should not be greater than 126 E. Coli per 100 mL of water For recreational water, it should not be greater than 126 E. Coli per 100 mL of water The average of the 5 sites we measured was 150 E. coli per 100 mL of water. The average of the 5 sites we measured was 150 E. coli per 100 mL of water. So, the creek did not meet any of the standards for drinking or for swimming So, the creek did not meet any of the standards for drinking or for swimming

Conclusions. What should come next? What should come next? Share data with Department of Environmental Health and Safety. Share data with Department of Environmental Health and Safety. What we learned from this experiment? What we learned from this experiment? Why we see things like pollution more down stream Why we see things like pollution more down stream Warning signs Warning signs What we learned these past two weeks What we learned these past two weeks