Members of Headwaters participated in the Kentucky River Watershed Watch Pathogen Sampling Event this past weekend. Various samples were collected from streams throughout the North Fork and taken to a local lab for E. coli testing.

E. coli samples are gathered as a measure of sewage contamination which often stems from the prevalence of straight pipes, which empty untreated sewage waste directly from homes into waterways, and failing septic systems. While animals and livestock contribute to raw sewage contamination, straight pipes and failing septic systems have historically been the main cause of  sewage contamination and the presence of fecal coli form.