Coliphage association with coliform indicators: A case study in Peru

The associations between traditional coliform/fecal coliform indicator tests and coliphage, Presence/Absence (P/A), A‐1 broth, and H 2 S paper strip tests are evaluated for Peruvian waters. Drinking water samples showed that the P/A test was the most sensitive, producing the greatest number of positive results. In drinking water, in some of the samples, the only indicator organisms present were coliphage. The incidence of coliphage in these potable water supplies reflects the probability of human pathogenic viruses also surviving the treatment processes accorded those samples.