State IDs water systems that fail to meet testing requirements

According to a news release, most public water systems meet all drinking water standards, and chronic violators are the exception rather than the rule.

The department requires all public water systems to test for bacteria once a month to make sure the water is safe to drink. Among the 37 Missouri systems that have repeatedly failed to conduct the necessary tests are Spokane Handy Mart in Christian County; Strafford Sports Complex and Wimpy’s Corner Store in Greene County; and Youngberg Estates Mobile Home Park in Lawrence County.

The release stated that the 37 systems on the list comprise only 1.3 percent of the roughly 2,800 public drinking water systems in Missouri.

Bacteriological testing can be the first step in identifying and correcting a problem. The next step is to investigate the cause of any bad samples and perform corrective action, such as disinfecting and flushing the system. When a public water system has a record of both failing to monitor and a history of exceeding contaminant levels, this may raise concerns about the unknown quality of the drinking water.

If a water sample tests positive for total coliform bacteria, further testing is then performed for fecal coliform or E. coli bacteria, which can directly cause gastrointestinal illness. Most samples that test positive for total coliform test negative for fecal coliform or E. coli.

The owners of the 37 systems on the list have been sent multiple violation notices and certified letters informing them that chronic failure to monitor is unacceptable. DNR representatives also routinely make on-site inspections and attempt to reach an agreement with the responsible parties to ensure sampling requirements will be met.

If these parties continue to fail to comply with Missouri’s drinking water law, the department pursues more stringent enforcement action through legal channels. [[In-content Ad]]