Tests Showed Coliform Bacteria in Edwards AFB Main Base Water System

  • Published
  • By 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable.

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Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Although this incident was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct this situation.

We routinely monitor for drinking water contaminants in the Edwards AFB - Main Base Water System. Two (2) out of seven (7) routine samples collected from the distribution system on Dec.14, 2010, and one (1) out of seven (7) routine samples collected from the distribution system on Dec. 28, 2010, tested positive for total coliform bacteria. Our system wells were not in use during December 2010, therefore no follow-up samples were collected from the system wells. The standard is that no more than one (1) sample per month may show the presence of total coliform bacteria.

What should I do?

You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. However, if you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor.

People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly may be at increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1 (800) 426-4791.

What does this mean?

This is not an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately. Coliform bacteria are generally not harmful themselves. Coliforms are bacteria which are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially-harmful, bacteria may be present. Coliforms were found in more samples than allowed and this was a
warning of potential problems.

Usually, coliforms are a sign that there could be a problem with the system's treatment or distribution system (pipes). Whenever coliform bacteria are detected in any sample, follow-up testing is done to see if other bacteria of greater concern, such as fecal coliform or E. coli, are present. None of the positive coliform samples showed the presence of fecal coliform bacteria or the bacterium E.coli.

What happened? What was done?

Exact source of the contamination is unknown. The distribution system was disinfected and flushed and a general inspection of the water system was conducted. Seven (7) repeat distribution samples, including treated surface water purchased from Antelope Valley East Kern Water Agency, collected on Dec. 16, 2010, tested negative for total coliform bacteria. Seven (7) repeat distribution samples collected on December 30, 2010, tested negative for total coliform bacteria. For more information, please contact Lt. Nadia Halim at (661) 277-3272 or the California Department of Public Health at (661) 335-7315.

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 Edwards AFB - Main Base Water System in compliance with the California Domestic Water Quality and Monitoring Regulations as a means of keeping the public informed.