This study was undertaken following a report of the drinking water industries which suggested the existence of a relationship between the algae proliferation (algal bloom) in the resource water and the appearance of coliforms non conformity in distribution network. Our objective was thus to estimate if the algal organic matter (AOM) could explain the resuscitation of E. coli in drinking water. In this purpose, E. coli was inoculated in drinking water supplemented with various organic matter in order to reach +0.2 mg BDOC L-1 (AOM, glucose or acetate). The results showed that the addition of AOM in a drinking water can represent a risk for the water biological stability : indeed, AOM allowed, either a cellular production, or a better maintenance of cultivability of E. coli higher than those observed in drinking water, glucose or acetate solutions (in spite of an BDOC equivalent addition).