Public Notification

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

Tests Showed Coliform Bacteria in the Dracut Water Supply District
 

Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Although this incident was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct this situation.

We routinely monitor for drinking water contaminants. We took 35 samples to test for the presence of coliform bacteria during August 2014. Three (3) of our samples showed the presence of total coliform bacteria. In September 2014 we took 38 samples to test for the presence of coliform bacteria. Four (4) samples showed the presence of total coliform bacteria. The standard is that no more than one (1) sample per month may do so. Click here for EPA's basic information on total coliform rule.

What should I do?

• You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. However, if you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor.

People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly may be at increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1 (800) 426-4791.

What does this mean?

This is not an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately. Coliform bacteria are generally not harmful themselves. Coliforms are bacteria which are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially-harmful, bacteria may be present. Coliforms were found in more samples than allowed and this was a warning of potential problems.

Usually, coliforms are a sign that there could be a problem with the system’s treatment or distribution system (pipes). Whenever we detect coliform bacteria in any sample, we do follow-up testing to see if other bacteria of greater concern, such as fecal coliform or E. coli, are present. We did not find any of these bacteria in our subsequent testing, and further testing shows that this problem has been resolved.

What happened? What was done?

The total coliform bacteria samples were detected in early August. As a precaution the distribution system was disinfected along with 2 water storage tanks. All subsequent samples in August did not show the presence of coliform bacteria. However, again total coliform bacteria were detected in early September. As a precaution one well was taken out of service and the distribution system in the area was disinfected.

For more information, please contact Mark Riopelle at 978 957-0441 or 59 Hopkins Street, Dracut MA 01826.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

This notice is being sent to you by Dracut Water Supply District.
PWS ID#: 3079000
Date distributed: September 2014