Water contamination represents a significant threat to both ecological sustainability and human life. 80% of the global population suffers from severe water pollution. Different types of pollutants adversely affect water resources. The most significant health risks associated with drinking water in developing countries are caused by pathogens, which are microorganisms causing diseases including bacteria, viruses, and parasites that are transmitted via the oral-fecal pathway. Most water-borne diseases result from microbial pollution, according to the WHO's drinking water quality guidelines, fourth edition. It is essential to diagnose these pathogens rapidly to impede the spread of the corresponding diseases. This review presented the most common bacterial detection techniques, microbiological culturing method, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, and discussed the laser induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy technique as a potential method for bacterial detection, which is a sensitive, accurate, and dependable method for quickly and immediately identifying harmful bacteria.