Which type of testing is essential for determining the presence of bacteria in water?

Microbiological testing is essential for determining the presence of bacteria in water because it specifically focuses on the detection and identification of microorganisms. This type of testing utilizes methods that can isolate, culture, and assess the numbers and types of bacteria present in a water sample.

While physical testing evaluates characteristics such as turbidity, color, and temperature, and chemical testing examines the chemical composition—like pH, dissolved solids, or contaminants such as nitrates and heavy metals—neither of these approaches can identify bacteria or other microbial organisms.

Bacterial resistance testing, on the other hand, is a specialized test that assesses how bacteria respond to antibiotics and is relevant in clinical settings rather than in determining general water quality regarding microbial contamination. Therefore, microbiological testing is the most appropriate method to accurately identify bacterial presence in water samples.