Staff Report
Residents are being advised to dispose of any water collected before 2 p.m. July 17, following the discovery of E. coli in a routine raw water sample, according to an announcement from Department of Public Works Director Mark Hollowell.
The DPW was notified Thursday afternoon that a routine water sample collected from the raw part of Kelley Well No. 2 tested positive for E. coli. No other samples collected from either the treated finish water or in the nine routine samples taken from the town’s system tested positive for Total Coliform or E. coli.
The DPW immediately contacted the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and a boil water advisory is not required.
The water supply from the affected well has been shut off, the announcement read, isolating the E. coli from entering the town’s water system. Out of an abundance of caution, community members are advised to dispose of any water, including water in filtration systems or ice cube trays, that was collected before 2 p.m. today.
The town will collect additional water samples and send them to a lab for testing. Once the town receives its results, residents will be notified.
According to the MassDEP, E. coli is a fecal indicator. Fecal indicators are microbes whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal waste. Microbes in these wastes can cause 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. For more information, read the DPW’s notice.
Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact the DPW at 508-695-7790.