Residents in Prescott, Wis., no longer need to boil their water after efforts to remove coliform bacteria from the city water system were successful, said Mayor Mike Hunter. The city got test results Tuesday morning from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources showing the system had a clean bill of health.
"We really don't know where it came from -- that's the million-dollar question," Hunter said. The city will try to answer that, and likely look at stronger measures to prevent the rare occurrence in the future.
A water sample found coliform bacteria in one location of the water distribution system late last week. That site later tested fine, but a test on another site showed elevated coliform. The tests showed the contamination was not in the supply side, which consists of three wells and two water towers.
The city increased the chlorine concentration in its water system to eradicate the bacteria. Coliform bacteria are common in the environment and are generally not harmful, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But the presence of these bacteria in drinking water is usually a result of a problem with the treatment system or the pipes that distribute water, indicating the water might be contaminated with disease-causing germs.
No fecal coliform or E. coli bacteria were found in Prescott. Those are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water might be contaminated with human or animal wastes.
JIM ANDERSON
