Fecal Bacteria

What is the meaning of CFU ml?

CFU stands for colony-forming unit. This means that cfu/g is colony-forming unit per gram and cfu/ml is colony-forming unit per millilitre. A colony-forming unit is where a colony of microbes grow on a petri dish, from one single microbe. This is the unit that is used to measure the number of bacteria found in a sample.

EPA - Fecal Bacteria

Fecal coliforms, a subset of total coliform bacteria, are more fecal-specific in origin. However, even this group contains a genus, Klebsiella, with species that are not necessarily fecal in origin. Klebsiella are commonly associated with textile and pulp and paper mill wastes. Therefore, if these sources discharge to your stream, you might wish to consider monitoring more fecal and human-specific bacteria. For recreational waters, this group was the primary bacteria indicator until relatively recently, when EPA began recommending E. coli and enterococci as better indicators of health risk from water contact. Fecal coliforms are still being used in many states as the indicator bacteria.

Why is Rayonier disposing of Fecal Coliform in the Amelia River? Rayonier Performance Fibers LLC reported Fecal Coliform as 13,000 CFU/100mL at the EFF-1 Outfall in the permit application at Section VII, Part B (d), despite the fact that Florida Rule 62.302.503 allows a maximum of 410 CFU/100mL for mostly fresh water or 130 CFU/100mL for mostly marine Class III waters respectively. No level of allowed Fecal Coliform has been set in the Draft Permit, and no method for monitoring Fecal Coliform has been suggested, perhaps because it does not relate to their manufacturing process. Fecal Coliform has been allowed to develop into a major environmental problem in Florida. We would like to avoid this in Nassau County.

Rayonier Permit

1. Notice of Draft

3) Summary of Third Year Inspection:
Rayonier Performance Fibers, LLC
Fernandina Dissolving Sulfite Pulp Mill – FL0000701
Page 11 of 111
DEP personnel conducted a compliance inspection of the above-referenced facility on July 21, 2021. Based on the information provided during the inspection, the facility was determined to be in compliance with the Department’s wastewater rules and regulations.

A third-year inspection (FYI3) was conducted by the Department on November 9, 2013. The composite bioassay sample was not acutely toxic to either test species during the 96- hour acute definitive bioassays based on permitted conditions. The effluent algal growth potential result, although, less than the “problem” threshold for fresh receiving waters suggests algal growth inhibition may be an issue. No applicable water quality standards or permit conditions were violated.

Rayonier Performance Fibers has previously demonstrated to DEP that the test method for fecal coliform is unreliable due to the presence of Klebsiella bacteria in the mill treated wastewater. In addition, the facility’s domestic wastewater is pumped to the City of the Fernandina Beach WWTF for treatment and final disposal.