Heterotrophic plate count monitoring of treated drinking water in the UK: a useful operational tool

The count of general or heterotrophic bacterial populations in treated drinking water in the UK has been undertaken since the 1880s. Counts of heterotrophic bacteria at 22 and 37 °C are used widely as part of an overall assessment of treated drinking water quality. There were no legislated standards for water quality in the UK until adoption of the first EU Directive in 1989. The UK has, however, never stipulated numerical standards or guidelines for heterotrophic bacteria, although their enumeration has long been part of the assessment of ‘wholesome’ water, on which advice regarding microbiological quality was given in a series of documents known as ‘Report 71’. The current regulations stipulate only that there should be ‘no abnormal change’ in numbers normally associated with a given supply. This paper reviews the historical context regarding the enumeration, and interpretation of results, of heterotrophic bacteria from treated drinking water, and information regarding current practices by UK water suppliers. The appropriateness of using heterotrophic bacteria counts as an operational tool or as a health parameter is briefly discussed in the light of the UK experience.