Bacteria found in city water
Published 9:41 pm Tuesday, October 12, 2010
A test of the Demopolis Water Works water supply revealed the presence of Coliform bacteria.
Three of 18 samples collected in August tested positive for the bacteria group, which includes E. coli.
The state standard for such a test is that no more than one sample can show the presence of the germ strain.
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“This is the first positive test in more than two years,” water works general manager Jerry Price said.
Coliforms are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other potentially harmful bacteria may be present.
These types of bacteria are typically eradicated by the use of chemical additives such as chorine, rendering the water safe for consumption. However, testing practices make the water samples more susceptible to contamination once certain stabilizing chemicals are removed.
“When you send the water off for testing, you have to neutralize the chlorine,” Price said. “That makes your sample vulnerable.”
Price said, given the consistent passing marks the Demopolis water supply has received in the past, that he suspects the sample was tainted in transit from the source to the testing site.
“Water samples are highly sensitive,” he said. “You can breathe on it and cause a positive (test result.)”
Price added that water samples taken immediately before the state test and two tests since also did not test positive for the bacteria.
“No one has been sick and follow up tests have all came back negative, so we’re satisfied that we’ve done everything to ensure that our water was, and is, safe.”
Mimea ya bakteria ya Coliform imepatikana katika maji ya mji wa Demopolis, nchini Marekani, na uchunguzi wa maji ya Demopolis Water Works umeonyesha kuwa kuna bakteria ya Coliform. Sampuli tatu kati ya 18 zilizochukuliwa mwezi Agosti zilikuwa na bakteria hiyo, ambayo ni pamoja na E. coli. Kiwango cha serikali kwa ajili ya mtihani kama huo ni kwamba hakuna sampuli zaidi ya moja inaweza kuonyesha uwepo wa mzigo wa bakteria. "Hii ni mtihani wa kwanza mzuri katika zaidi ya miaka miwili", alisema meneja mkuu wa kazi za maji Jerry Price. Coliforms ni bakteria ambayo ni asili katika mazingira na ni kutumika kama kiashiria kwamba bakteria nyingine uwezekano wa madhara inaweza kuwapo. Aina hizi za bakteria kwa kawaida huangamizwa kwa kutumia viambatisho vya kemikali kama vile chorine, na kufanya maji kuwa salama kwa matumizi. Hata hivyo, mazoea ya kupima hufanya sampuli za maji ziwe rahisi zaidi kuchafuliwa mara tu kemikali fulani za kudumisha hali ya hewa zinapoondolewa. "Unapotuma maji kwa ajili ya kupima, lazima utumie klorini", Price alisema. "Hiyo inafanya sampuli yako iwe hatarini, "" Price alisema, kutokana na alama za kupitisha za mfululizo ambazo usambazaji wa maji wa Demopolis umepokea zamani, kwamba anashuku sampuli hiyo iliharibiwa wakati wa usafirishaji kutoka chanzo hadi eneo la majaribio." "Mfano wa maji ni nyeti sana", alisema. <unk>Unaweza kupumua juu yake na kusababisha chanya (matokeo ya mtihani. Price aliongeza kuwa sampuli za maji zilizochukuliwa kabla ya mtihani wa serikali na vipimo viwili tangu pia hazikujaribu chanya kwa bakteria. "Hakuna mtu amekuwa mgonjwa na majaribio ya kufuatilia yote yamerudi hasi, kwa hivyo tunafurahi kwamba tumefanya kila kitu kuhakikisha kwamba maji yetu yalikuwa, na ni, salama. "