BY ALEX CANTATORE
A month after the City of Turlock was forced to temporarily chlorinate its water supply in response to the detection of total coliform bacteria, Municipal Services employees have identified what they believe to be the most likely source of the indicator organism. The casing of one city well is believed to have failed, forcing the well offline until the city can address the potentially hazardous situation.
Turlock was originally required to chlorinate its water for the week following Feb. 27 in response to the detection of total coliform bacteria, an organism that is not typically harmfully to humans. The ubiquitous bacteria, which can be found in dirt and on most household surfaces, is tracked by utilities because the organism’s presence can indicate that more dangerous bacteria might have found their way into the water system.
According to Municipal Services Director Dan Madden, while no harmful bacteria were found, city employees are currently unsure of the state of the suspect well’s casing and will be removing the well’s pump and motor to feed a TV camera into the well for a better look at the situation. Staff will then make an assessment as to whether the well can be rehabilitated and placed back in service before the peak water demands of June and July.
“We’re not planning on it being offline for a long period of time,” Madden said. “If this was the middle of the summer there’d be some problems, but since it’s spring we think we can handle it.”
Another city well was forced offline in recent weeks due to high nitrate levels, putting further strain on the city’s water supply. City staff hopes to reposition the bowl that draws water from the aquifer approximately 40 feet lower in hopes of avoiding the high nitrate level, or else isolating a specific area within the water column that would be relatively nitrate free.
If both wells remain offline through this summer’s high water use season, it could spell trouble for Turlock’s water supply.
“It would have the potential to (cause some problems),” Madden said. “We have two new water storage tanks coming on line by this summer, and that might give us some relief.”
To contact Alex Cantatore, e-mail acantatore@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2005.
Originally published in the Turlock Journal 3/28/2009.
Retrieved from the Turlock Journal Web site.