E. coli Results, Robeson County, NC
What is E. coli?
E. coli is a naturally-occurring bacteria that indicates the presence of fecal material (poop). Sources of E. coli include wildlife, livestock, and human sewage. E. coli can only survive in the soil up to a few months. This means that anything found during our soil sampling cannot be attributed to the hurricanes. Some types of E.coli can cause illness, most com-monly diarrhea. Health problems from E.coli tend to be mild and short-term, but may be more serious for individuals with existing health issues.
A total of 107 samples were collected for E. coli. The locations of these samples are displayed in the map below. The blue dots indicate areas that were tested for E. coli and heavy metals, and the green dots indicate areas that tested for E. coli alone.
The table below displays the results of the E. coli tests.
Sample geometric mean: 11.40 MPN/g
Sample range: 0-1115.74 MPN/g
Note: MPN/g = most probable number per gram of soil. Results do not indicate whether the soil is “safe.” No regulations exist for E. coli in residential soil.