Officials: E. Coli Never Reached Public

As Bristol’s water utility plans for repairs, a well that tested positive for E. coli last week will remain out of service, officials said this week.

The water department emphasized that the public water supply was never compromised; the test showed contamination only in one supply of raw water that hadn’t been treated yet.

“People should know their water is perfectly safe and always was,” Superintendent Robert Longo said. “This was never an emergency situation.”

The utility has taken the affected well out of service, and has plenty of time to make any repairs without affecting the water supply, Longo said.

By federal regulation, water utilities must notify consumers when E. coli is detected in tests, even if it never reached the public. Longo said that’s what happened in Bristol.

A routine monthly inspection of water in Well 3, one of five city-operated wells, showed traces of E. coli on Oct. 9 in untreated water, the water department announced.

“All water from our wells is treated and disinfected with chlorine before entering the distribution system in order to eliminate bacteria,” the utility said in a statement.

A subsequent test of the same well on Oct. 11 showed no signs of contamination. Even so, Well 3 is out of service until staff and contractors can determine what repairs are necessary.

“We’re bringing in a well-digger,” Longo said.

Well 3, near Mix Street, provides some of the supply for homes and businesses east of Route 229 and south of Maple Avenue. Other sections of the city are served by surface water supplies.

Well 3 normally yields about 300,000 gallons of water daily. The city uses 6 million to 6.5 million gallons daily, and the chilly temperatures and wet weather mean demand is at the low end of the usual spectrum, Longo said. So taking Well 3 offline isn’t a problem, Longo said.

“If this was July, it might be different,” he said.

“It will remain out of service until we determine and correct the cause of the bacteria,” said Elizabeth Phelan, who chairs the water commission’s board. “We have reviewed this situation with the health director of the Bristol/ Burlington Health District and the Department of Public Health Water Supply Section, and they are in agreement with our action plan,” she said.