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August 23, 2009

Continue boiling water

Chlorine beginning to reduce coliform readings; outdoor use ban still in place

By Richard Gaines

For at least another day, water from the municipal system must be boiled before it is used, Mayor Carolyn Kirk announced late yesterday.

Chlorine levels were rising, but not enough to call off the precaution of boiling water to kill bacteria, the mayor said.

"The water is better, but not good enough," she said.

Kirk also announced that the outdoor watering ban remains in effect and that overnight flushing of the system sent into a crisis a week ago when one of the two plants malfunctioned, will continue in places overnight, and could produce off-colored water.

The cause of the boiling order, depleted levels of chlorine in the system, has moved the state Department of Environmental Quality to order the continued boiling for at least one minute before use.

"As long as there remain low levels of chlorine in the system, there is the risk of the introduction of harmful bacteria, (DEP) is exercising an abundance of caution by issuing the Boil Water Order," Kirk said in a prepared statement. "Unlike Milford, (Gloucester) has not had positive test result for e-coli bacteria."

Instead, what testing has found is coliform, a bacteria naturally present in the environment. Coliform readings are seen as indicators that "other potentially harmful bacteria may be present," said public works director Mike Hale.

In an e-mail Hale summarized the Saturday test: Positive for total coliform in parts of West Gloucester and two hits in East Gloucester, but overall less positives than Friday."

Kirk called the water crisis "a real wake-up call for the city, and shows the vulnerability of our core systems. Investment in the city's infrastructure has been neglected far too long. Both the West Gloucester and Babson Water Treatment Plants are antiquated."

"Even though we are currently performing $3.5 million in long overdue upgrades to the water system, we will be taking a long hard look at other investments that need to be made to prevent the disruptions this episode has caused," Kirk said.

The state ordered the boiling on Friday, after a second finding of coliform bacteria in improper concentrations.

Under the order, all residents are required to boil all city tap water for at least 1 minute before drinking or using for purposes of human consumption, such as cooking, ice-making, dishwashing, or teethbrushing, until further notice. Food preparers and restaurants must boil their tap water for at least 5 minutes according to Mass. Department of Public Health regulations.

All water drawn since Aug. 15 — and any ice, juice, formula and uncooked foods prepared with water taken from the system during that time period — must be thrown out, according to the order. Some restaurants remained open, while others closed. The chain of Dunkin' Donuts shops and the Lone Gull coffee shop on Main Street were closed.

Kirk said the city had two immediate goals: to increase chlorine levels throughout system in order to reduce readings of total coliform bacteria, and to increase water levels at Bond Hill.

"Low chlorine is one explanation for coliform appearing in the water tests, and in our situation the most likely. Coliform bacteria is typically not harmful. No readings of e-coli or fecal bacterias, which are harmful, have been detected at any time during this episode.

Hale said raising the water level at the Bond Hill tank will increase pressure and keep water moving through the system.

"Currently, Bond Hill is up to 9 feet from an earlier low of 4 feet," Hale said. "But it needs to be at 14 to 15 feet in order to keep moving water and chlorine through the system. As chlorine levels rise, total coliform is expected to fall, reducing the risk of the introduction of the harmful bacterias into the system.

The presence of free residual chlorine (the so called "chlorine level") in drinking water indicates the likely absence of disease-causing bacteria or other organisms. As we see an increase in free residual chlorine, it is likely that the total coliform tests will come back negative."

To achieve these goals, Hale said the outdoor water ban would remain in effect.

"In order to increase the levels at Bond Hill, the city needs to make more water than is consumed," he said. "If we consume what we make, then the water level at Bond Hill will not rise." He also said the overnight flushing of the system has been taking place in parts of East and West Gloucester. It appears most of East Gloucester has reached a high enough chlorine level, that we will not be flushing there tonight (Sunday), Hale said. "This could change, but for now that is our plan."

"The purpose of flushing is to draw water with higher levels of chlorine through the system to where chlorine levels are low," Hale said. "Residents may see garden hoses or fire hoses attached to fire hydrants with water flowing out. While it may seem contradictory that we flush water away while conservation efforts are called for, it is an important step in achieving goal No. 1 which is to increase chlorine levels throughout the system."

He added that the city is able to control where the water is going (to a degree) with the flushing program.

Hale said the Babson Water Treatment Plant is working at capacity, producing just over 3 million gallons of drinking water per day, and Klondike is producing about 500,000 gallons per day.

Richard Gaines can be reached at rgaines@gloucestertimes.com.

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Continue boiling water
by By Richard Gaines , , Sun Aug 23, 2009, 11:08 PM EDT
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