The enumeration of fecal indicators of bathing beach water to determine quality have been used since the mid-20th century. In the 1930s and as late the 1970s, the Most Probable Number procedure for estimating microbial densities in water was in general use. The most probable number procedure was replaced as a method of choice by the membrane filter procedure. The membrane filter had been developed in the early 1950s but did not find widespread use until the 1970s. Another development during the 1970s was the quanti -tray method, a proprietary multi-well tray, which was introduced as an innovative form of the Most Probable Number procedure. In 2005 molecular methods were introduced as a rapid 3-hourh procedure for measuring bathing beach water quality. Several variations of this approach are currently in use or in development.

自 20 世纪中叶以来，一直在使用对沐浴海滩水的粪便指标进行计数以确定质量。在 1930 年代和 1970 年代后期，普遍使用估算水中微生物密度的最可能数程序。最可能数程序被膜过滤程序取代为一种选择方法。膜过滤器是在 1950 年代初开发的，但直到 1970 年代才得到广泛使用。1970 年代的另一项发展是quanti-tray 方法，这是一种专有的多孔托盘，作为最可能数程序的一种创新形式引入。2005 年，分子方法被引入，作为一个 3 小时的快速程序，用于测量海水浴场的水质。这种方法的几种变体目前正在使用或开发中。