The Rio Grande is one of the top ten at risk major rivers in the world whose waters transverse two different countries: Mexico and the United States. As any such large body of water between two large civilizations, the Rio Grande serves both as a water supply, a method to dispose of waste, and a source of dispute between the two nations in regards to regulation. The area of the river around Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, a highly populated region, unfortunately it is plagued by large populations of bacteria due to years of inadequate waste treatment. In 1989, the river’s situation was recognized by the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), a federal government agency established to pass joint policy Between Mexico
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coli, for very rare recreation is 206 CFU/100mL of E. coli, for drinking water there should be less than 1 CFU/100mL of E. coli. Actual E. coli populations along the urban areas of the Rio Grande are on average between 10,000-76,000 CFU/100mL of E. coli. Data collected from previous studies conducted by the IBWC and the Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC) indicate that the range of fecal coliform present in the Rio Grande is incredibly high and substantiate the Rio Grande’s claim to one of the top ten rivers at risk of overuse and severe contamination (Vaughan, Dr, Miller, Castro, Hull, & Archer, 2011). On the other hand, these same studies also show that waste treatment plants along the river do have some effect. In some areas immediately downstream to a waste management plant, the CFU is nearly non-existent. For the purpose of this study fecal coliform are identified as bacteria naturally present in the intestines and digestive systems of warm blooded animals. For the purpose of this study E. coli is a type of fecal coliform whose presence is used as an indicator of other potentially harmful pathogens. For the purpose of this study pollutants are to be identified as bacterial in nature such as fecal coliform and E. coli. If waste management plants are related to the presence of E. coli in the Rio Grande along the Laredo (segment 2304), then a …show more content…
coli along the Laredo segment of the Rio Grande (Segment 2304).. The goal will be to collect fresh samples of water from the Rio Grande in order to gather current data about the current levels of E. coli along the river. Once these samples are collected and analyzed, they will be correlated to previous data records in order to determine if there has been any significant shift in E. coli population. This research aims to raise awareness for residents on either side of the river about its current state. Furthermore, as awareness increases within the general population should help spur more future waste management organizations and policies that will aim to purify the Rio
coli, for very rare recreation is 206 CFU/100mL of E. coli, for drinking water there should be less than 1 CFU/100mL of E. coli. Actual E. coli populations along the urban areas of the Rio Grande are on average between 10,000-76,000 CFU/100mL of E. coli. Data collected from previous studies conducted by the IBWC and the Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC) indicate that the range of fecal coliform present in the Rio Grande is incredibly high and substantiate the Rio Grande’s claim to one of the top ten rivers at risk of overuse and severe contamination (Vaughan, Dr, Miller, Castro, Hull, & Archer, 2011). On the other hand, these same studies also show that waste treatment plants along the river do have some effect. In some areas immediately downstream to a waste management plant, the CFU is nearly non-existent. For the purpose of this study fecal coliform are identified as bacteria naturally present in the intestines and digestive systems of warm blooded animals. For the purpose of this study E. coli is a type of fecal coliform whose presence is used as an indicator of other potentially harmful pathogens. For the purpose of this study pollutants are to be identified as bacterial in nature such as fecal coliform and E. coli. If waste management plants are related to the presence of E. coli in the Rio Grande along the Laredo (segment 2304), then a …show more content…
coli along the Laredo segment of the Rio Grande (Segment 2304).. The goal will be to collect fresh samples of water from the Rio Grande in order to gather current data about the current levels of E. coli along the river. Once these samples are collected and analyzed, they will be correlated to previous data records in order to determine if there has been any significant shift in E. coli population. This research aims to raise awareness for residents on either side of the river about its current state. Furthermore, as awareness increases within the general population should help spur more future waste management organizations and policies that will aim to purify the Rio