Bacteriological quality of holywater from Thai temples in Songkhla Province, southern Thailand.

Seventy-six holy water samples were collected from seventy-six Thai Buddhist temples in Songkhla Province, southern Thailand. The samples were examined for total heterotrophic aerobic bacterial count and total coliform count. The range of total heterotrophic aerobic bacterial count was 6.5 x 10(1)-1.6 x 10(5) CFU/ml, while the total coliform count was < 2- > 1,600 MPN/100 ml. Escherichia coli was isolated from positive coliform tests in a total of 22 samples (28.95 per cent). According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) standards for drinking water (1993), only 9 of the samples (11.84 per cent) qualified. Interestingly, these 9 samples had originated from rain water.