Now before you freak out, keep in mind that the presence of fecal coliform bacteria in a body of water does not necessarily mean the water will cause a person to get sick… or die. Also, this sampling included, for the most part, outside bodies of water, not drinking water supplies.

So having said that, why should residents in that area care if ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, etc. contain fecal coliform bacteria? Simple: The presence of such a contaminant serves as a warning flag that somehow, in some way, sewer and septic systems have failed to contain human waste… and it has found a way to seep into the environment untreated.

If enough untreated sewage finds its way into the environment, a good chance exists that it may one day also find its way to a popular swimming hole in a local creek, drift around until it lingers just off the shore of a lake where people wade to cool off, and possibly even seep down into the ground where it could enter an aquifer that provides water to wells servicing the homes of unsuspecting families.

Officials in Augusta have broadened their examination of water downtown after an Augusta Chronicle analysis found elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria.

The sampling began Monday after the newspaper published a report Sunday revealing the results of water sample testing from 50 locations in Richmond, Columbia and Aiken counties.

Fecal coliform bacteria indicates that pathogens may be present and could pose a risk to human health.

Garrett Weiss, manager of the Augusta Engineering Department’s Stormwater and Environmental Section, says his department has been aware of some of the problems and is moving to correct them.

He said old, hidden sewer lines that aren’t properly hooked up to sanitary sewer systems may be to blame for the high levels. ( source )

I you or someone you know has reason to suspect contamination of their water supply with coliform bacteria or any other potentially harmful chemical element, compound, or organism, seek the assistance of a certified water testing laboratory in your area. If no labs exist in your immediate area, or they have extremely high testing rates, contact your local health department or take a look at the water testing services offered by companies like National Testing Laboratories.

Water Testing Blog loves to hear about local health departments taking the initiative to try and get residents to test their well water for potentially harmful contaminants. In this case, the health department in McHenry County, Illinois has stepped up to the plate by offering coliform bacteria and nitrate testing at a reduced cost until the end of August.

WOODSTOCK – McHenry County Department of Health will offer reduced fee water testing for individual well water users during the month of August.

Residents can have their well water sampled for coliform bacteria and nitrate for $18.

Testing wells regularly is the only way to determine whether well water is safe to drink, as many contaminants are colorless and odorless.

Water from a public or municipal water system regularly is tested for contaminants regulated by federal and state standards.

Bacteria and chemicals can get into well water and contaminate it in different ways.

Some bacteria and chemicals occur naturally.

Contaminants, such as nitrate, can come from animal waste, wastewater, flooded sewers, polluted storm water runoff, fertilizers, agricultural runoff, or decaying plants. High levels of nitrate in drinking water can cause illness in young children and pregnant women. Coliform bacteria are microbes found in the digestive systems of warm-blooded animals, in soil, on plants, and in surface water.

For a nominal charge, the health department also will sample private wells for nuisance chemicals resulting in water hardness, iron, discoloration and odor.

Sampling kits can be picked up at the health department in Woodstock or at one of eight drop-off centers. Samples can be dropped off for testing Tuesday mornings between 9 a.m. and noon at the following centers:

• Algonquin Township Office, 3702 Route 14, Crystal Lake; 847-639-2329.

• Dorr Township Office, 140 Newell St., Woodstock; 815-338-0125.

• McHenry Township Office, 3703 Richmond Road, McHenry; 815-385-5605.

• Nunda Township Office, 3510 Bay Road, Crystal Lake; 815-459-4011.

• Marengo City Hall, 132 E. Prairie St., Marengo; 815-568-7112.

• Harvard Police Department, 201 W Front St., Harvard; 815-943-4431.

• Richmond Township Office, 7812 S. Route 31, Richmond; 815-678-0077.

• Grafton Township Office, 10109 Vine St., Huntley; 847-669-3328.

For information about private well water, call the health department’s Environmental Division at 815-334-4585. ( source )

Many people believe coliform bacteria only get into OTHER people’s wells because THEY did something wrong… but in reality, something as simple heavy periods of rain causing a rise in the water table supplying a person’s well could result in the introduction of potentially harmful contaminants.

Also, the slightest crack in a well’s casing, which could come from age or a shifting in the ground surrounding the well, could serve as a very convenient point-of-entry for bacteria or other well water contaminants.

Despite efforts by public health officials to keep the general population safe, scofflaws make their jobs very difficult sometimes. For some reason members of the general public believe signs warning of dangerous water conditions (including water quality issues) always choose to believe those signs apply to OTHER people, but not them.

Note to the Public: A ‘Beach Closed’ sign and closed in fencing around the swimming area means… YOU CAN GET SICK IF YOU SWIM IN THE WATER! Also, if the staff on-hand suggest avoiding going in the water and/or wading into the water deeper than just a few inches, FOLLOW THEIR ADVICE!

LITTLETON, Colo. — The swimming beach at Chatfield State Park was temporarily closed Sunday when routine water testing found high levels of E. coli bacteria, authorities said.

But 7NEWS Reporter Jaclyn Allen found dozens of people playing on the beach and swimming in the water right next to the closed swimming area Sunday afternoon.

Several families said they had no idea why the beach was closed because it’s not posted on the signs, which simply said: “Swim Beach Closed Today.” The swim beach was also fenced off.

Visitors were surprised to learn from 7NEWS that the closure was triggered by bacterial contamination that could make them seriously ill.

“I had no idea about the E. coli,” said Monique Garcia, whose toddler son had been playing in the water all day. “The woman who took our money told us the beach was closed because the water quality was not good.”

Signs warning “Swimming Prohibited” were posted in the neighboring area where people were swimming and splashing in the water. Park rangers said people are only allowed to wade knee-deep in the water outside the designated swimming beach area.

But clearly people weren’t getting the message. ( source )

Signs and staff warned people to avoid the water, but they went around the fencing and played in the water anyways. So far no one has reported any illnesses resulting from those dolts ignoring warnings, but next time they may not have the same luck.

People have DIED from illnesses they contracted by swimming in water that health officials had recently declared unsafe for swimming.

Can the average person test water at parks, pools, etc.?

In a word, yes… and to do so will NOT break the bank. WaterSafe manufactures a bacteria test kit for pools/spas and rivers/streams/ponds/lakes that gives pass/fail results for bacteria in water at a level which would make the water safe or unsafe for swimming.

Recently post we provided links to three different bacteria in water test kits in the same blog entry and since then we have received a number of emails asking us to please explain the differences between them.

We will begin by re-posting the links to the three kits:

• The first bacteria test kit does the most complete testing for potentially harmful bacteria in drinking water. It can provide presence/absence test results in 24 hours for coliform bacteria down to 1 cfu per 100 milliliters, the current low detection limit enforced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

  Additionally, use of a light source with a wavelength of approximately 365nm on the sample after the passing of 24 to 48 hours will let you know if you have E. Coli present in your test sample. The ability to provides presence/absence results for E. Coli. results in this test kit having the highest cost.

  Sold in cases of 12 and manufactured by SenSafe.

• The second bacteria test kit provides presence/absence test results in 48 hours for coliform bacteria down to 1 cfu per 100 milliliters, the current low detection limit enforced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. It does not provide information on the presence or absence of E. Coli. in a water sample.

  Sold as individual tests and manufactured by WaterSafe.

• The third bacteria test kit performs the same task as the second test kit, providing presence/absence test results in 48 hours for coliform bacteria down to 1 cfu per 100 milliliters, and comes packaged in cases of twelve or as individual tests.

  The kit’s manufacturer, SenSafe, claims that Bacteria Check “follows the APHA, Standard Methods, 20th Edition, 9221 D, screen test for total coliform in potable water”.

No matter which test kit you decide upon, always remember that only a water analysis performed by a certified water testing lab such as National Testing Laboratories can give you a definitive answer regarding the safety of your drinking water.

You should use At Home and Do It Yourself Water Test Kits from WaterSafe and SenSafe should serve as screening tools only.

We said it before and we will say it again: Ultimate responsibility for the quality of the water you drink rests with YOU.

Far too often we trust that the water entering our homes contains no harmful contaminants because our water treatment plant ‘has one of the best reputations in the business’ or has ‘never had a violation or failed an inspection’. We forget our local water treatment plant’s crystal clear, safe travels through many miles of different types and sorts of pipes before it reaches our faucets.

At any point in that journey a tiny crack in any one of the pipes could allow potentially harmful contaminants to enter the water stream… and travel to our faucets. A multitude of coliform bacteria can work their way through openings far smaller than half of a millimeter in size with the greatest of ease.

Oh, and at one point in time or another, health officials deemed materials like lead safe for use in drinking water pipelines.

Most people take for granted every day that the water from kitchen taps and the vegetables from home gardens or stores will be clean and safe.

But if sewer pipes lying beneath local streets and yards are damaged or broken, there’s potential for serious problems, say health, environmental and utility officials.

Because pipes carrying fresh, clean water often lie in the same ditches, tunnels and infrastructure rights of way as sewer lines, there is tremendous potential for drinking water or irrigation water to be contaminated.

“Your water can be contaminated right out in the street in front of you,” said Dr. Mark LeChevallier, director of innovation and environment stewardship for American Water Co., the parent company of Tennessee-American Water Co., which serves Chattanooga.

Dr. Rand Carpenter, an epidemiologist and waterborne illness specialist with the Tennessee Department of Heath, says once that contamination is there, all it takes is contact and an unwashed hand.

Sewage contains pathogens, bacteria and viruses, he said, and if people touch something bearing those germs, they can get sick.

“These are big concerns to us in the health department,” he said.

Emerging strains of E. coli have proven very dangerous, especially to the young, the elderly or people whose immune systems are deficient.

Even a norovirus, “what we grew up calling the 24-hour virus,” can be a culprit of contamination that began with sewage, Dr. Carpenter said. ( source )

Periodic testing of tap water for simple things like heavy metals (i.e. lead, copper, mercury, etc.) and bacteria helps ensure the safety of everyone in your home.

Once again flooding has potentially contaminated private wells, and this time it happened up in the province of Winnipeg in Canada where government officials recently announced that the Province would pick the tab for well water testing.

Although we hate to hear about areas getting flooded out, we do love to read about governments stepping in to assist victims with making sure they have safe, clean drinking water once the flood waters have gone down.

The provincial government is encouraging people with wells in flood-affected areas to get them tested once flood waters recede.

Officials said the province will cover the full costs of testing.

The province normally subsidizes well-water testing but the well owner’s share is now also being waived for the month of June for flooded areas, said officials.

Manitoba Water Stewardship is also recommending that people with wells in flooded areas boil their water or use alternatives such as bottled water until test results confirm the bacterial safety of their water.

Water samples should be marked 2010 Flood and sent to Maxxam Analytics, Unit D, 675 Berry St., Winnipeg, MB R3H 1A7. More information is also available by calling 204-772-7276 or 1-800-665-8566 (toll-free). ( source )

As a general rule victims of flooding whose wells may have gotten contaminated should, at the very least, test their wells for bacteria, nitrates/nitrites, heavy metals (i.e. copper, lead and iron) and pesticides. Individual situations may merit additional and/or repeated testing.

Interested in having a certified water testing lab take a look at your drinking and/or well water? National testing Laboratories has several different levels of testing available to the general public for reasonable rates.

The recent weather which battered the Northeast and did large amounts of damage to areas not accustomed to such severe weather has also created another problem: potentially contaminated drinking water.

When flood waters containing all sorts of debris and disease-causing bacteria pass over the top of a well, often referred to as a well head, it can sometimes make its way down into the well… rendering any water coming out of that well potentially unsafe for human consumption.

For that reason, health and government officials in New Jersey have issued a public statement warning residents whose wells may have gotten contaminated by flood water not to use their well water without first disinfecting it or having the water from their wells tested for bacteria.

Atlantic County residents serviced by well water who live in areas affected by flooding from the March 12-15 storm should be aware that their water supply may have been compromised.

The Atlantic County Division of Public Health recommends that these residents use bottled water for cooking and drinking or disinfect their water prior to consumption, especially if flood waters rose above the well head. Impacted homeowners should continue to disinfect their well water until their well is tested for the presence of bacteria. Testing can be arranged through the Atlantic County Division of Public Health at 609-645-5971 or by a private certified environmental laboratory. ( source )

Although Water Testing Blog believes strongly in residents performing periodic testing on their own wells, we believe MORE that testing for bacteria or other harmful drinking water contaminants after an event such a flood should take place at a certified drinking water laboratory.

We typically suggest National Testing Laboratories as a good choice for a certified drinking water testing lab. Usually after a flood, though, flood-affected residents can arrange for quick, affordable, certified well water testing through their local Board of Health.

At-home drinking water test kits definitely have their place in this world, but one should never use them to give the final word on the safety of water coming out of a well after a natural disaster.

For more information on safety matters to consider after a flood, the Atlantic County Government has posted a series of informative brochures that you may find useful:

• How to Protect Your Home and Family from the Hazards of Contaminated Water
• Instructions for Disinfecting Water
• Precautions When Returning to Your Home
• After a Hurricane or Flood; Cleanup of Flood Water
• Food and Water Safety after a Natural Disaster or Power Outage
• Septic Systems – What to Do after the Flood
• Floods: Sanitation and Hygiene
• Protect Yourself from Animal and Insect-Related Hazards After a Natural Disaster
• Flood Cleanup: Avoiding Indoor Air Quality Problems
• Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water
• Returning to Your Flooded Home
• Water Quality and Health Considerations

Groundwater can become contaminated in a many different ways… which means you WELL WATER can get contaminated just as easily. As an example, a natural event such as flooding from the thawing of snow and ice in Spring often carries water contaminated with bacteria, nitrates, nitrites, etc. into places it ought not go.

Local officials in Upstate New York know all too well the potential dangers presented by Springtime runoff and have issued a statement to residents not currently connected to a city (municipal) water system: We Suggest You Test Your Well Water.

They have also taken steps to make free coliform bacteria and nitrate testing to available.

BATAVIA — In the wake of well water contamination reports in the town of Batavia north of the city, the town is encouraging any property owners in the town who do not have public water to contact the Genesee County Health Department and request a one-time sampling of their well, the town said in a news release.

It is the town’s experience that wells within its boundaries are highly susceptible to contamination during the spring thaw, news release said. The town is working with the county Health Department to determine the extent of well contamination and “considers this an extremely serious issue that demands immediate action,” said the release that is also posted on the town’s Web site..

The Health Department has notified the town of water well contamination in the area of State Street Road, Batavia-Elba Townline Road, Route 98 and Bank Street Road, the release said. But the sampling recommendation is for the entire town.

The Health Department will collect a sample and plot the location of the well with a Global Positioning System survey device, the release said.

Property owners may request a test for coliform bacteria and nitrates. The samplings will be funded by the town and results of the tests will be available at the Town Hall, it said. Any property owners interested in public water are encouraged to notify the town in writing, either with an informal petition, by individual letter, or e-mail. In areas of concentrated interest, the town will begin the process of seeking grant funding to extend public water to those areas, the release said.

People who suspect well contamination can refer to information from the Health Department that can be found on the town’s Web site, www.townofbatavia. com, at the Town Hall or at the Health Department, it said.

Those with questions or seeking further information can contact town Engineer Steve Mountain at (585) 343-1729, Ext. 220. The county Health Department can be reached at (585) 344-2580. ( source )

It makes us very happy to see local officials not only taking an interest in the quality of the water in their community, but also taking pro-active steps to help residents learn about possible issues that could affect well water in the community and providing free tools to test for possible well water contamination.

Water Testing Blog hopes more communities will follow in the footsteps of Batavia, NY when it comes to keeping citizens apprised of possible threats to their water supply and making testing available when threats may exist.

A lot of debate has taken place over the possible effects that drilling for gas may have on the quality of well water in the area. Some say nothing should happen to the water quality and others believe water quality near and far will suffer.

In Honesdale, PA, an area slated to have gas wells installed very soon, a meeting will take place in June and at that meeting water quality experts will go over details related to the drilling and inform local residents about well water testing options.

An informational program titled: Home Water Well Testing in the Gas Well Area is being held June 15.

Jointly hosted by Penn State Cooperative Extension and the Wayne Conservation District, the program is being offered at two separate locations and times: Damascus School in Damascus from 2 to 4 p.m. or the Park Street Complex in Honesdale from 7 to 9 p.m.

“We feel that people should be more aware of general water testing with their wells. They should be testing every so often to make sure that their drinking water is of a good quality. But also, it’s obvious that we need to do this with the gas wells …gas drilling coming in,” said Jamie Knecht, district watershed specialist.

Pat Mohn, Penn State Cooperative Extension, said a standard well test costs $50, whereas testing geared more towards an oil and gas drilling area would run around $65. Such a test would include testing for: coliform bacteria, E. coli, total dissolved solids, barium and chlorides.

There are a lot of different packages and prices, she said. Testing for heavy metals, including arsenic would cost around $130.

The meeting’s agenda includes: how gas wells can impact groundwater wells, regulations to protect private wells, potential pollutants, testing strategies, how to collect water samples, and interpretation of water test results. ( source )

When situations like this come up, and no one ‘really’ knows what will happen to water quality in an area, we suggest that you don’t take chances with the quality of your water and err on the side of caution… especially since a variety of water quality experts already suggest periodic testing — ‘just to make sure’.

Certified Lab Testing Versus At-Home Drinking Water Test Kits

Hands down, and we mean WAY down, in cases where unknown contaminants of a natural sort (chlorides, arsenic, metals, etc.), possibly some of a non-natural sort, ‘might’ find their way into the aquifer from which you draw your well water, all of us here at Water Testing Blog believe nothing takes the place of thorough water testing conducted by a certified water testing lab. We applaud the efforts of officials in the Honesdale, PA area to educate the public on their lab testing options.

For everyone else not in the Honesdale, PA area, and perhaps even a few folks IN the Honesdale, PA area who fear a potential conspiracy/cover-up, other lab testing options exist such as National Testing Laboratories and Suburban Water Testing.

Most of us take for granted that we will have safe, clean tap water coming out of our faucets and think nothing of the dangers presented by not filtering and/or purifying our water prior to use.

• Cryptosporidium, a gastrointestinal parasite, contaminated the municipal drinking water of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1993 and caused one hundred deaths. ( source )

• A deadly strain of e.coli bacteria found its way into the municipal water supply of Walkerton, Canada in 2000 causing hundreds of residents ill and eventually taking the lives of seven people. ( source )

It sounds shocking that such horrible water quality tragedies could happen in modern times given the frequency of municipal water testing, but two very important facts stand out if you take the time to think about the way in which municipal water systems operate:

1. Municipal water systems test for a set number of water quality parameters and sometimes rare, unusual, and often not-tested-for water vermin like Cryptosporidium can easily slip past even the most stringent water testing programs. Example: Milwaukee, WI in 1993.

2. Municipal water systems test water at the point of distribution, not use. This means the water leaves water treatment facilities fully tested and approved for consumption… but keep in mind that the water must travel through many miles of piping and plumbing with literally thousands of joints and welds where harmful contaminants could find their way into the water if only one of those places has cracked or otherwise become deficient.

So as you can see, even the best water treatment plants in the world with the best records for drinking water quality cannot issue a 100% guarantee that your tap water will contain no unwanted contaminants. Once water leaves their grounds its quality can change for innumerable reasons and in innumerable ways… so ultimate responsibility for making sure you have safe, clean tap water falls on… your shoulders.

Installing the correct point-of-use water filtration and/or purification system (i.e. countertop, undersink, whole house, shower, etc.) can negate pretty much all the possible risks associated with water contamination between the distribution point and your favorite glass.

Take the time to learn about the different point-of-use water treatment options you have available and, of course, don’t forget to test your drinking water periodically, even after installing a filtration/purification system, to make sure it continues to function properly!