A method for detecting a bacteriophage in a sample as an indicator of a hygienic quality of the sample, the method comprising the steps of: a. hydrating a medium, the hydrated medium providing: i. a nutrient for the growth of a fecal bacteria, the fecal bacteria characterized by its susceptibility to infection by the bacteriophage; ii. an induction agent, the induction agent capable of promoting intracellular enzyme production by the fecal bacteria, b. mixing a culture of the fecal bacteria with the hydrated medium to create a first admixture, c. mixing an unfiltered sample with the first admixture, d. incubating the first admixture to create a pre-incubated first admixture, e. combining a portion of the pre-incubated first admixture with a second medium to create a second admixture, the second medium providing: i. a nutrient for the growth of the fecal bacteria, ii. an induction agent, the induction agent capable of promoting intracellular enzyme production by the fecal bacteria; and iii. an indicator, the indicator capable of producing a detectable change in the presence of an intracellular enzyme from the fecal bacteria, f. incubating the second admixture to create an incubated second admixture, g. detecting a change in the indicator, wherein the change in the indicator discloses the presence or absence of the bacteriophage in the sample, and wherein the presence of the bacteriophage in the sample is an indicator of the poor hygienic quality of the sample. a. hydrating a medium, the hydrated medium providing: i. a nutrient for the growth of a fecal bacteria, the fecal bacteria characterized by its susceptibility to infection by the bacteriophage; ii. an induction agent, the induction agent capable of promoting intracellular enzyme production by the fecal bacteria, i. a nutrient for the growth of a fecal bacteria, the fecal bacteria characterized by its susceptibility to infection by the bacteriophage; ii. an induction agent, the induction agent capable of promoting intracellular enzyme production by the fecal bacteria, b. mixing a culture of the fecal bacteria with the hydrated medium to create a first admixture, c. mixing an unfiltered sample with the first admixture, d. incubating the first admixture to create a pre-incubated first admixture, e. combining a portion of the pre-incubated first admixture with a second medium to create a second admixture, the second medium providing: i. a nutrient for the growth of the fecal bacteria, ii. an induction agent, the induction agent capable of promoting intracellular enzyme production by the fecal bacteria; and iii. an indicator, the indicator capable of producing a detectable change in the presence of an intracellular enzyme from the fecal bacteria, i. a nutrient for the growth of the fecal bacteria, ii. an induction agent, the induction agent capable of promoting intracellular enzyme production by the fecal bacteria; and iii. an indicator, the indicator capable of producing a detectable change in the presence of an intracellular enzyme from the fecal bacteria, f. incubating the second admixture to create an incubated second admixture, g. detecting a change in the indicator, wherein the change in the indicator discloses the presence or absence of the bacteriophage in the sample, and wherein the presence of the bacteriophage in the sample is an indicator of the poor hygienic quality of the sample.