Environmental Bacteriology

The State Public Health Laboratory provides microbiological testing of public and private drinking water, recreational waters, foods and environmental samples. This testing helps to assure the public health of Missourians by ensuring state and federal regulatory requirements for safe water and food are met. Testing also supports various programs within the Department of health and Senior Services, and other state and federal agencies.

The Environmental Bacteriology Unit is certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA Lab # MO 00003) for the microbiological analysis of drinking water compliance samples for the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Unit personnel serve as EPA and FDA Laboratory Evaluation Officers to perform certification inspections of drinking water and dairy microbiology laboratories throughout Missouri.

The Environmental Bacteriology Unit supports the missions of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' Center for Emergency Response and Terrorism by testing air, food and environmental samples for suspected biological-threat agents. The Environmental Bacteriology Unit is a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Laboratory Response Network and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Food Emergency Response Network.

The Environmental Bacteriology Unit

• Tests public and private water supplies for the presence of coliform bacteria
• Test food suspected of causing disease
• Inspects and approves water and milk testing laboratories
• Tests air, food and environmental samples for threat biological agents