A species of commercially obtained freshwater mussel (Elliptio complanata) was shown to actively filter, concentrate, and retain fecal coliform (FC) bacteria from a variety of freshwater stream environments. Fecal coliform densities in mussel viscera were maximum within 48 hr of in situ exposure. Significant FC reproduction did not occur in mussel viscera at temperatures below 30 °C. Variation in replicate FC determinations from mussels exposed in situ for 48 hr was less than that obtained directly from water samples. Numbers of FC concentrated in mussel viscera were retained for several hours after FC densities declined in the surrounding water, suggesting the utility of mussels to record recent episodes of fecal pollution.