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CUC lifts ‘boil water’ notice for Rota
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Posted on Dec 22 2004
Rota residents receiving water from the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. water system no longer need to boil their drinking water before consumption.
CUC has announced that most of the problems have been corrected, except for the water system between the Main Cave and Ka’an area. Customers living in all other areas may drink or use CUC water for cooking or food preparation without boiling it first.
On Nov. 29, CUC issued a “boil water” notice for Rota customers after the utility firm identified a problem with the island’s drinking water.
Samples taken from the Rota water system showed that the water contained harmful bacteria that could cause gastrointestinal diseases when ingested.
According to CUC, the presence of E. coli bacteria indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, and other symptoms. They may also pose a health risk to infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.
“Bacterial contamination can occur when increased runoff enters the drinking water system, for example, following heavy rains. It can also happen due to a break in the distribution system or pipes, or a failure in the water treatment process,” CUC explained.
Earlier, CUC special adviser for corporate communications Pamela Mathis said CUC corrects such water quality problem by finding the mechanical, technical, or electrical problems that may have caused the contamination, and fixing them.
Mathis said CUC personnel check the water treatment facilities to make sure that “we’re not over-chlorinating or under-chlorinating.”
“We are pleased to report that most of the problems have been corrected and that it is no longer necessary to boil the water except for the water system between the Main Cave and Ka’an area. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience,” CUC said in a public notice. “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).”
