Scientists in Hawaii found that traditional indicators of fecal contamination in water are not reliable due to their ability to multiply in soil. They isolated a new strain of Bacteroides bacteria, HB-73, from sewage in Hawaii, which can detect sewage-specific phages. These phages were found in high concentrations in sewage from Hawaii and can survive in different water environments. Water samples from contaminated areas in Hawaii showed high levels of enterococci, but no detectable levels of F+ coliphage or Bacteroides phages, suggesting that enterococci may come from environmental soil rather than sewage. This study supports the idea that streams are the main source of enterococci in Hawaii's coastal waters.