IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable.
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Tests Showed Coliform Bacteria in Pinon Pines Mutual Water Company Water System

Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Although this incident has been addressed, as our customers, you have the right to know what happened and what we did to correct this situation.

We routinely monitor for drinking water contaminants at the Pinon Pines Mutual Water Company. On February 17, 2015, one (1) routine sample collected from the distribution system tested positive for total coliform bacteria. On February 19, 2015, two (2) out of three (3) repeat samples collected from the distribution system tested positive for total coliform bacteria. Two (2) repeat samples collected on February 19, 2015, one from Well 05, one from Well 07, tested negative for total coliform bacteria. Additional investigative samples were collected from February 23 -25, 2015 from the distribution system and our three storage tanks. Five (5) samples collected from the distribution system, and three (3) samples collected from the storage tanks tested positive for total coliform bacteria. The standard is no more than one (1) sample per month may show the presence of coliform bacteria. None of the samples collected from the distribution system or the system wells tested positive for E. coli bacteria.

What should I do?

You do not need to boil water or take other corrective actions at this time. 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 EPA’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 the bacterium E. coli.

What happened? What was done?

We inspected all domestic water supply facilities that serve our water system. We have provided emergency disinfection and flushing of the storage tanks and the distribution system. During the week of March 16, we are planning to collect special bacteriological samples from the storage tanks and distribution system to verify bacteriological quality of the water. For more information, please contact Terry Liebel, Watermaster, at 661-245-4420, or the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water 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.

This notice is being sent to you by the Pinon Pines Mutual Water Company in compliance with the California Domestic Water Quality and Monitoring Regulations as a means of keeping the public informed.

Dated: 3/16/15
Terry Liebel, Watermaster (#1510054)

This is part of the March 13, 2015 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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