Table 6. Results from third outdoor study.
Total
Fecal
Fecal
Snow
coliform/
coliform/
Total count
streptococci
sample
100 mL
100 mL
(CFU*/mL)
(CFU/100 mL)
3 102
170
Snow
0
0
Melted fractions
Fecal
Sample
Sample
Fraction
Total count
streptococci
date
time
no.
Description
(CFU/mL)
(CFU/100 mL)
5.1 102
7/21
0930
1
yellow, bad smell
11
1.1 103
7/21
1035
2
yellow, smells
2
7.2 102
7/21
1440
3
pale yellow tint, slight odor
2
7.4 101
7/21
1440
4
pale yellow tint, slight odor
2
4.8 102
<2
7/22
0820
5
cloudy, slight odor, quite a lot
of fine sediment
1.5 102
7/22
1215
6
cloudy, not yellow, faint musty
<2
odor, less sediment than #5
6.0 101
7/22
1215
7
cloudy, not yellow, faint musty
2
odor, less sediment than #5
1.5 102
7/23
0900
8
pale cloudy yellow, barely
2
noticeable odor
1.0 102
7/23
0900
9
pale cloudy yellow, barely
<2
noticeable odor
8.2 101
7/24
1020
10
some sediment, cloudy,
<2
cannot detect odor
1.7 102
7/24
1500
11
some sediment, faint, barely
2
noticeable odor
1.5 103
7/27
0830
12
sediment, faint musty odor
<2
6.6 102
7/27
0845
Rinse water
thick sediment, musty odor
--
*Colony Forming Unit
We found that many species of bacteria appear to
coliforms were greater than two orders of magnitude
be able to withstand the multiple freezethaw cycling
in the snow as compared to the water going into the
that occurs in the snow column and replicate during
snow guns. Our results also agree with those of
the melting process. This may be because bacteria
McCarron (1965) in that other species of bacteria were
collect at the bottom of the snow column and the initial
more resistant to freezing than E. coli. For the concen-
meltwater they receive is very nutrient-rich, allowing
trations of total coliforms and fecal coliforms found in
for their growth. The solutes in the meltwater would
the initial wastewater used in this study, this treatment
also help reduce the amount of freezing that might
was effective in bringing coliform and fecal coliform
occur during this period. Many of the bacteria that
levels below the regulatory levels required for most
survive the "winter" are gram negative, and may be or-
water quality discharge permits. However, if the total
ganisms that are responsible for gastrointestinal illnesses.
coliform or fecal coliform levels had been greater by a
Because the E. coli are very susceptible to this treat-
factor of 10 or 100, we do not know whether the treated
ment process, it may be that fecal coliforms are not the
water would meet water quality standards. Testing
best organisms to use as a measure of treatment effi-
wastewater with higher concentrations of these bacte-
ciency for this type of treatment process. The Joint Task
ria would answer this question.
10
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