E. Coli Found in Bloomfield, Boil-Water Advisory Remains in Effect

A boil-water advisory remains in effect for all of Bloomfield after E. coli bacteria was found this week in township water supply samples.

The samples were taken on Monday and revealed traces of the bacteria that's indicative of human or animal wastes in the water, according to an alert released by the township's water department.

"There is a good chance the drenching rains of the past week introduced the bacteria into the system," Mayor Michael Venezia said on his Facebook page.

The township collected 11 more samples that are being tested at a lab, Venezia wrote on his Facebook page Friday afternoon. Venezia said more information should be known by Saturday afternoon and he advised residents to continue boiling their water.

All tap water should be boiled for at least one minute. Otherwise, bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and making food.

The bacteria could cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, and have more serious health effects for young children or people with compromised immune systems.

From the township's water department:

What should I do? What does this mean?

• DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.

• *Fecal coliforms and E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, and people with severely compromised immune systems.*

• The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice from their health care providers about drinking this water.

What is being done?

Corrective actions will include chlorinating, flushing, additional sampling and assessing the Bloomfield system as well as investigating sampling procedures, residual disinfectant levels, and source water quality. Bloomfield is a consecutive system supplied by Newark Water Department. We will inform you when tests show no bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. We anticipate resolving the problem as soon as possible within the next few days.

For more information, please contact Bloomfield Water Department Licensed Operator Anthony Marucci at (973) 680-4009. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.