It is an acute public health risk if a positive fecal coliform repeat sample or a positive total coliform repeat sample follows a positive fecal coliform routine sample.

It is an acute public health risk if a positive fecal coliform repeat sample or a positive total coliform repeat sample follows a positive fecal coliform routine sample.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not applicable
• D. It varies

Answer: (A)

When fecal contamination is suspected, repeated positives are the key signal. A positive fecal coliform in the routine sample means there’s potential fecal contamination in the water supply. If, on follow-up testing, the repeat samples—whether they show fecal coliforms again or even just total coliforms—also come back positive for contamination, that persistence confirms a real, ongoing issue rather than a one-time anomaly. That persistence represents an acute public health risk because pathogens associated with fecal contamination could be present, and immediate protective actions are required (such as disinfection, issuing a boil-water advisory, and notifying authorities). So, a positive repeat after an initial positive fecal coliform result indicates acute risk, making the statement true.

When fecal contamination is suspected, repeated positives are the key signal. A positive fecal coliform in the routine sample means there’s potential fecal contamination in the water supply. If, on follow-up testing, the repeat samples—whether they show fecal coliforms again or even just total coliforms—also come back positive for contamination, that persistence confirms a real, ongoing issue rather than a one-time anomaly. That persistence represents an acute public health risk because pathogens associated with fecal contamination could be present, and immediate protective actions are required (such as disinfection, issuing a boil-water advisory, and notifying authorities). So, a positive repeat after an initial positive fecal coliform result indicates acute risk, making the statement true.