Description
Each testkit contains:
- 5 x R-Card packs. In each one, you have:
- 3 x R-Card E. coli test cards (Choose between 3mL or 1mL)
- 1 x 1ml syringe-style pipette (or 3ml syringe in the 3ml version)
- 2 x nitrile gloves
- 1 x 4×6″ plastic sealable bag
- 1 x field sheet
- 1 x cooler bag to keep samples cool in the summer (ice pack not included)
- Conductivity meter (temperature is integral, and conductivity is useful for context)
- 1 x sampling tray
- 1 x reacher stick and sample cup
- Field guide
- 1 x towel
- 5 x stickers
- 1 x tote bag
- 1 x magnet
Bulk discounts will be automatically applied to your cart. 5% off 5 or more. 10% off 10 or more.
Choose the 1mL R.Cards for higher concentrations of E.coli. If you expect to find higher E. Coli counts ie. above 500 cfu/100mL. The 1mL R.Cards show results at 100cfu/100mL and higher, and are meant for site with higher quantities of E.coli.
Choose 3mL R.Cards for lower concentrations of E.coli. The 3mL R.Cards are a more sensitive card – they show results starting at 33cfu/100ml and higher. This card is meant for sites with lower levels of E.coli. Please note that the 3mL cards are less absorbent and therefore care needs to be taken when dispensing the 3mL of water to avoid spillage.
We recommend buying additional E. coli replenishment packs.
The manufacturer’s instructions (pdf) can be found here
This testkit is currently in development
This E. coli test kit is being piloted through Water Rangers’ Lake Erie Rangers program, a three-year initiative (2024–2027) funded in part by the Canada Water Agency’s Freshwater Ecosystems Initiative. The program engages community scientists across the Lake Erie watershed in monitoring water quality and helping develop new tools for freshwater monitoring.
The E.coli kit is currently in the testing and validation phase. This means people are actively using the current version of the testkit. However, a new version of the instructions will be released later in 2026, refined based on field testing by volunteers and validation work with our scientific and university partners. Our goal is to create an E. coli test kit that is easy to use, reliable, and capable of producing high-quality data to help communities better understand whether their risk of illness as well as whether or not their waterways have been impacted by sewage and stormwater.
Feedback from users is an important part of this process and helps guide future improvements to the kit. Please share your feedback here.
