NORTH ATTLEBORO - Department of Public Works Director Mark Hollowell announced Thursday community members should dispose of any water collected before 2 p.m. that day following the discovery of E. coli in a routine raw water sample.
"The North Attleborough Department of Public Works received notification this afternoon, July 17, that a routine water sample collected from the raw part of Kelley Well No. 2 tested positive for E. coli," Hollowell announced."
He added that no other samples collected from either the treated finish water or in the nine routine samples taken out in the system of North Attleborough tested positive for Total Coliform or E-Coli.
The Department of Public Works shut off the water supply from the affected well thereby isolating the E. coli from entering the town’s water system.
Out of an abundance of caution, community members are advised to dispose of any water, including water in filtration systems or ice cube trays, that was collected before 2 p.m. today, town officials announced.
DPW officials immediately contacted the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. As a result, a boil water advisory is not required.
The town will collect additional water samples and send them to a lab for testing.
Once results are received, residents will be notified.
According to the MassDEP, E. coli is a fecal indicator.
Fecal indicators are microbes whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal waste.
Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms.
They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems.
Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact the North Attleborough Department of Public Works at 508-695-7790.
Click the video below to watch North TV's interview with Hollowell.
