Does Proximity to Farms Correlate with E. coli Concentration in Bodies of Water?

Agricultural animals, mainly cows but also chickens, goats, and other livestock, are known to be major reservoirs for E. coli. While not all E. coli is pathogenic, the presence of any E. coli indicates an increased likelihood of pathogenic bacteria being in the area.

E. coli is an enteric bacteria, meaning it lives in the guts of its host. Since agricultural animals are major reservoirs for this bacteria, they are able to pass the E. coli from their guts into the environment through their waste. This waste can then become an exposing factor to human populations if water runoff causes the E. coli containing waste to come into contact with local water sources, food production areas, or anywhere else humans could possibly come into contact with it.

Our case study focused on possible contamination into water sources, with the intent that if our hypothesis, that there is a correlation between proximity to agriculture and E. coli concentrations in water, were accepted, this could indicate a need for improved regulations on waste management for farms in order to protect the health of surrounding communities.