Ephrata to increase water testing

EPHRATA — Increased water testing and continued studying of Well 6 are two of the recommendations in a new report on Ephrata’s water system.

The report was prompted by a health advisory issued in April for people to boil water. The advisory came after a tests showed non-acute coliform and a single occurrence of Escherichia coli bacteria, commonly known as E. coli.

The report created by City Administrator Wes Crago, and reviewed by city, county and state officials concluded the health advisory was correct, the agencies involved cooperated well and elected officials, staff members, citizens and business owners “reacted admirably during this incident.”

Recommendations include increasing testing from eight samples a month to five samples, including a well, taken every two weeks.

“We’ll do those on Mondays, so if we were to run into this incident again Thursday morning would be the morning we’re making the decision, which would allow us to utilize (the newspapers) as an additional resource,” Crago said.

The city is taking the additional precaution of increasing the amount of chlorine to use in the system to at least 50 pounds. Crago said the city didn’t suffer a lack of the chemical during the April incident.

An engineering study on Well 6 is still occurring. The well, constructed in 1946, tested positive for non-acute coliform in April. It remains shut down, until the city can determine where the contamination came from.

“The well was drilled in the ‘40s for the air base. It suffered from either contamination from the well or contamination infiltrating the well … on and off for its whole history,” Crago said.

The city installed a pneumatic packer to prevent contamination from above, he said, adding either the machine failed or the water below is contaminated.

Staff is also examining implementing a system for chlorinating the city’s water supply, Crago said, adding the state believes the city should chlorinate the water.

“The staff wants to have numbers put together if you do want to take that route,” he said.