IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER
Tests Showed Fecal Coliform in NAVMAG Lualualei Water System
Fecal coliform bacteria were found in the water supply at the Naval Magazine Lualualei and the Radio Transmitting Facility, Lualualei in samples collected on November 16, 2006. These bacteria can make you sick, and are a particular concern for people with weakened immune systems.
What should I do?
You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND FURTHER TESTS SHOW THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED.
Fecal coliforms are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems.
The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.
What happened? What is being done?
Bacterial contamination can occur when increased run-off enters the drinking water source (for example, following heavy rains). It can also happen due to a break in the distribution system (pipes) or a failure in the water treatment process. An investigation at the well found that the chlorinator was not working properly. The chlorinator was subsequently repaired, our reservoirs were chlorinated, and the distribution system was flushed.
With these actions, the problem has been resolved and further tests have shown no bacteria in the system.
Due to this incident, two drinking water standards were violated. The first standard was for fecal coliform bacteria. The second standard was for total coliform bacteria. We routinely monitor for drinking water contaminants in our systems, and five of the nine samples taken in November showed the presence of total coliform bacteria, which was above the standard of no more than one sample per month above the prescribed level.
For more information, please contact Mr. Don Rochon, Director of Public Affairs, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, at 472-1008. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791.
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 NAVFAC Hawaii
NAVMAG Lualualei Water System
State Water System ID#:358
Date distributed: November 24, 2006
(SB05526035 11/24/06)
