Department of Public Works Director Mark Hollowell advises community members to dispose of any water collected before 2 p.m. today, July 17, following the discovery of E. coli in a routine raw water sample.
The North Attleborough Department of Public Works received notification this afternoon, July 17, 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 out in the system of North Attleborough tested positive for Total Coliform or E-Coli.
The Department of Public Works has shut off the water supply from the affected well thereby 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 Department of Public Works immediately contacted the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and thanks to the town’s swift action in isolating the affected water, a boil water advisory is not required.
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 North Attleborough Department of Public Works at 508-695-7790.
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