'Positive' coliform result leads city to issue water advisory

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'Positive' coliform result leads city to issue water advisory

Posted by

Mark Beardsley

in Top Stories

Friday, August 5. 2011

Comments (10)

The man in charge of Commerce’s water system professes to being mystified about water test results indicating two routine water samples tested positive for “total coliform.”

“I can’t explain it and the EPD folks can’t either,” said Bryan Harbin, Commerce’s director of water and sewer operations of the June 20 samples.

By state law, the city had to send out notifications of the findings with its current utility bills. Some residents have already received the notifications with their latest bills; the rest can expect them soon.

“We took a sample on June 20 and they called a week later (with notification of the findings),” Harbin said. “The procedure is we go out and re-test the site, and we test upstream and downstream as well. We did that and everything came out fine. I think it was either a sample collection issue or a lab issue.”

Above and beyond the state protocol, said Harbin, the city collected additional samples and sent them to a local lab.

“They tested negative,” he reported.

Nonetheless, the city had to send a notification that its system “violated a drinking water standard” that, in effect, told citizens that those with certain health issues should contact their doctors, although for most people there was no need to react.

Coliform occurs naturally in nature and its presence can be an indicator that other potentially harmful bacteria may be present. Two of the city’s eight June 20 samples tested positive, after which the city did follow-up tests to see if other bacteria — such as fecal coliform or E. coli – were present.

Ironically, one of the sample sites was on Harbin’s property.

“I have questions about the procedures,” he said. “We sent them (the samples) to the EPD lab in Atlanta. There is the chain of custody, and if the bottles are not sanitized good enough… although in both samples the chlorine residual was good.”

The city takes eight samples from specific locations each month and submits them to the EPD for analysis.

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#1 Rusty on 08/09/11 at 08:05 AM [Reply]

At least Commerce recognizes the issue and takes measures for correction. Nicholson water has over 12 x the limit of iron in it's water and nobody seems to care. Water tastes bad and clothes are orange!

#2 Anonymous on 08/11/11 at 09:23 AM [Reply]

Did you miss the part where it said the results were back in JUNE? This is August, kinda' good info to have in June.

#2.1 watermaker on 08/19/11 at 07:15 AM [Reply]

anonymous-the state EPD gives the water system 30 to 90 days to notify the customers about total coliforms, since they are not that big of a deal. Now if the samples were positive for e. coli it would have been on the tv and radio immediately. the state EPD lab that does these samples is badly understaffed and cannot keep up with the thousands of sample bottles they have to re-sterilize and reuse each month. Commerce is going to go with a private certified lab that uses only new unopened bottles for bacteria sampling in the near future. Dozens of systems around the state are having positive coliform results where they have never had them before and are doing this also-the state lab just can't properly handle the volume of tests anymore with the staff they now have.

#3 waltswoman on 08/15/11 at 03:18 PM [Reply]

I have a water filtration system.
Does anyone know if ones like Brita remove the above mentioned?
Thanks!

#3.1 Anonymous on 08/16/11 at 03:50 PM [Reply]

Nope, in fact the coliform can breed in the charcoal filter. The best bet it to boil and then filter.

Over the last 2 weeks, every time I drink the water from the tap I get sick at my stomach. Knowing Commerce, I'm sure they don't know anything.

#3.1.1 watermaker on 08/18/11 at 07:05 AM [Reply]

anonymous-if you knew anything about coliforms you would know they are everywhere- on your toothbrush, your coffee cup rim, etc, etc. the people running the water plant know exactly what they are doing-maybe you should apply for a position there-oops-i forgot-you have to know enough about water to earn a water treatment plant operator license to work there-do you know enough to have one? I didn't think so.

#3.1.1.1 Anonymous on 08/19/11 at 09:52 AM [Reply]

Guess what genius, there are tons of people who have been sick from this. E Coli is very serious. The city's answer is if you get sick, go to your doctor. Well who is going to pay for that visit?

And even if I was as smart as you (sounds like you already work for Commerce), I would never work for Commerce. Too many good old boys.

If I could have a well I would, but I have no choice but to drink their polluted water.

#3.1.1.1.1 Mark Beardsley on 08/19/11 at 10:09 AM [Reply]

Yes, e.coli is very serious, but the tests were negative for e.coli. Repeat, negative.

#3.1.1.1.2 watermaker on 08/26/11 at 07:01 AM [Reply]

no anon- i'm not a genius, but i do know that if i thought my water was polluted i would buy bottled water for drinking. And by the way-most of us good old boys own our homes outright, our cars and our land. i know of at least 10 of us "good old boys" whose only payments are insurance and utilities-but remember-you have to have an IQ of three digits to work for the city of Commerce-that probably disqualifies you right off the bat. Also-it's like Mr Beardsley said-the e. coli results were negative-that means there were none found.

#4 kmart on 08/16/11 at 10:48 AM [Reply]

waltswoman - no Brita won't remove the above.

More then likely the sample person touched the top of the cap. Causes most of the false positives.

Much to do about nothing.

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