A study published in the August 2012 Journal AWWA* showed that Charm Sciences Fast Phage test for detecting somatic and male-specific coliphage in water is equivalent to USEPA method 1601. The Fast Phage test provides results in less than 18 hours with an early 8 hour positive fluorescent warning. Inexpensive ready-to-use reagents make coliphage testing easy and convenient to perform, a 24-48 hour faster result than method 1601."Coliphage is a viral fecal indicator that in combination with conventional bacterial testing, E. coli, assures a higher level of safety assurance in drinking water systems. Viral contamination is the cause of more than 50% of water borne illnesses and coliphage is the indicator in the Ground Water Rule to address viral threats to water sources," said Robert Salter, V.P. of Regulatory and Industrial Affairs.

The study describes a national evaluation of the Fast Phage method performed by four water testing laboratories using a shared fecal source to spike local ground water. The study performed did side-by-side of Fast Phage method 1601 to show equivalent according to EPA Microbial Alternative Test Protocol and Performance Based Method Systems. The Fast Phage features a same-day positive fluorescence prediction step making Fast Phage the first drinking water quality test to provide a sensitive early-warning within one working day shift.

* Journal AWWA, a publication of the American Water Works Association, featured an expanded summary of Robert Salter and Gregory W. Durbin´s recently-released publication "Modified USEPA method 1601 to indicate viral contamination of groundwater."