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Tainted water

By KARIN RONNOW Chronicle Staff Writer

Tests of Elk Grove subdivision’s drinking water supply last week confirmed the presence of total coliform bacteria, according to a notice posted on the Gallatin County Web site.


 Samples of the water in the Utility Solutions Elk Grove system were taken on Tuesday, Sept. 2. The county posted a public health advisory notice on its Web site Friday.

“This notice is not a boil-water order,” the notice stated.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which sets drinking-water standards, has determined that the presence of total coliform bacteria is “a possible health concern,” according to the notice.

“Total coliform bacteria are common in the environment and are generally not harmful themselves. The presence of these bacteria in drinking water, however, is generally the result of a problem with water treatment or the pipes that distribute the water, and indicates that the water may be contaminated with organisms that can cause disease,” the notice stated.

Utility Solutions also sent a notice to Elk Grove residents on Friday, in which the company said it believed the problem had already been resolved..

During the tests, “coliforms were found in more samples than allowed and this was a warning of potential problems,” the company noted.

The company did follow-up testing to see if other bacteria “of greater concern,” such as fecal coliform or E. coli, were present, but did not find any, according to its letter to residents.

“Utility Solutions operators are disinfecting the water-storage tank and well piping. In addition, the operators will be investigating the source by checking the entire system for any potential sources of groundwater entry into the system,” the letter states.

“We will inform you when our sampling shows that no bacteria are present. We anticipate the problem has been resolved.”

Elk Grove is south of Four Corners, east of U.S. Highway 191 and north of Blackwood Road. The water system serves some 300 families in the subdivision.

Drinking tainted water can result in diarrhea, cramps, nausea and possibly jaundice, and any associated headaches and fatigue, according to the county notice.

“These symptoms, however, are not just associated with disease-causing organisms in drinking water, but also may be caused by a number of factors other than your drinking water,” it said.

Karin Ronnow can be reached at kronnow@dailychronicle.com or 582.2659.

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