TDEC Officials Say Fall River Water Is Safe

Friday, August 28, 2009

Although a member of the local media has interpreted citations issued to the Fall River Utility District as having caused the issuance of unsafe drinking water, officials with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation indicate that this is not the case.

The media outlet reported Friday that the utility district, which provides water for around a thousand area households, had been cited in July on nine separate violations.

They reported that “the violations centered around proper recording of data at the treatment plant,” that “improper methods are being used to test the water,” that “previous tests were questionable,” that the district failed to maintain records for the required three-year period, “testing measurements were not being documented as required,” that some of the testing equipment was not approved, “laboratory equipment was not being calibrated as required,” and that a plugged discharge pipe was preventing proper water flow.

The media outlet did point out that actions had already been taken to correct these violations.

The outlet went on to say, “What is also of concern is that crytosporidium has been found in the water supply in the district, according to remarks made at the board’s meeting earlier this month,” and that Ecoli bacteria had also been discovered, but is now effectively being filtered from the water supply.

In an email from TDEC official Meg Lockhart received Friday she points out, “I can confirm that the article incorrectly asserts that the community’s drinking water supply is unsafe.

“It is important to note that the community’s drinking water supply was not targeted by the Notice of Violation referenced in the article. The NOV is in reference to filter backwash water discharged from the water treatment plant to a treatment pond, and not the drinking water.”

Lockhart continues, “The NOV in question outlines equipment issues at the water treatment plant in relation to its filter backwash discharge, and while it is important they are fixed, they do not pose an immediate threat to the community. Unfortunately, the article quoted the NOV without any context or explanation as to what it actually means.”

Lockhart concludes, “Finally there is a reference to cryptosporidium…I can confirm that no crypto has been found in the Fall River drinking water supply. In fact, that monitoring is not scheduled until April 2010.”