An investigation of sanitary indicator bacteria in a macrophyte wastewater-treatment system

During recent years, many studies have attempted to determine the efficienc y of macrophyte systems in removing a wide range of chemical substances and in the amelioration of wastewaters to attain effluent-quality standards. H owever, despite the importance of microbiological indicators of water quali ty for determining the suitability of water for recreational and public-sup ply purposes, little research has focused on the dynamics of sanitary indic ator bacteria in macrophyte systems. This study reports the initial finding s of such an investigation for a macrophyte raft-lagoon system which was us ed in the treatment of sewage at Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, England.