Heterotrophic Colony Count (HCC), also called Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) or Total Bacteria Count (TBC) is used to measure colony formation of bacteria in water. Rather than measuring individual types of bacteria, this method tests for colony forming units (CFU) of bacteria of a given sample. It is a general indicator for drinking water quality and biofilm formation in a system. Note that a high HCC result does not necessarily indicate a health risk, it is just an indicator of increased bacterial activity.
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