SEQUIM — The water from the Estates Inc., water system is safe to drink, the state Department of Health confirmed Friday.
The 350 customers of the water — all of which are in the vicinity of Woodcock Road and Kitchen-Dick Road west of Sequim — were told on Aug. 31 to boil water before drinking it because E. coli bacteria had been found in a water system sample.
The advisory was lifted on Thursday, said Sandy Brentlinger, water quality specialist with the state health department.
“The sample was contaminated , not the water system,” said system owner Erik Thomas.
“The sample was bad. The water system was fine.”
Brelinger confirmed that a contaminated faucet was probably the source of the bacteria found in the water sample.
There’s a fairly strong possibility that it just the location, and not the system,” she said.
“The [Clallam County Health Department] inspected, and no smoking guns were found.”
The faucet failed a second test, but other places in the system passed, she said.
“We got 10 passing water tests.”
The faucet has since been disinfected, she said
Most strains of
E. coli — or Escherichia coli — bacteria are found in feces.
Most types of E. coli are harmless, but others can make people sick with ailments ranging from diarrhea to pneumonia or other severe illnesses, the Centers for Disease Control says on its Web site, www.cdc.gov/.
E. coli bacteria are used as markers for water contamination, the CDC says, adding that they “are not themselves harmful, but indicate the water is contaminated.”
When E. coli is found in a water sample, the state health department must put out an immediate advisory before conducting more tests, Brelinger said.
No illnesses were reported related to the water, the department said.
