Warning For Bucks, Montgomery County Residents: Test Well Water Before Drinking
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Authorities in Bucks and Montgomery Counties are urging residents who have wells that might have been hit by recent flood waters from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee to avoid drinking that water for now.
The Montgomery County Health Department's water quality director Kyle Schmeck says it's a very real concern for residents who own wells in a flood plain or near waterways where the flood waters topped or inundated the well head.
"We request that those residents refrain from drinking the water and have it tested to make sure that the well is safe."
Schmeck says officials are concerned about bacterial contaminants - such as coliform and E. coli - showing up in wells as a result of flood water laced with sewage.
The Bucks County Health Department's environmental director, William Roth, says the county is making a strong recommendation, "Obviously they should drink bottled water until they're assured their water supply is safe."
Roth says the county had several areas where rivers, creeks and streams overran private wells and well heads, "We do have wells that were possibly compromised by the flooding. We do have available, test kits for them to come in. They can get a water sample bottle, test their well."
Both counties are handing out free water test kits distributed by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Roth says, "They can test the water, bring it back the same day they test it - Monday through Thursday - and they should get results possibly a week to 10 days."
And he says they're already distributing them, "We've already issued a lot of water bottles to certain municipalities, Upper Makefield picked up like 60 water bottles because there are a lot of wells down there. And, they're available at the municipal building. Any townships that want water bottles, we'll get them to the townships and they can pick them up there."
You can pick up a water-testing kit at the following sites:
IN BUCKS COUNTY:
You can pick up water-testing kits at the Bucks County Health Department's offices:
In Doylestown:
Health Building (1st Floor)
Neshaminy Manor Center
Doylestown, PA 18901
or call (215) 345-3318
In Levittown:
Bucks County Government Services Center
7321 New Falls Road
Levittown, PA 19055
or call (267) 580-3510
In Quakertown:
Bucks County Government Services Center
261 California Road
Quakertown, PA 18951
or call (215) 529-7000
Or go to the Bucks County Health Department website.
IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY:
You can pick up water-testing kits at the Montgomery County Health Department's offices:
In Norristown:
Norristown Health Center
1430 DeKalb St.
Norristown, PA 19404
or call (215) 278-5117
In Pottstown:
Pottstown Health Center
364 King St.
Pottstown, PA 19464
or call (610) 970-5040
Or, go to the Montgomery County Health Department website.
Or, go to a special flood link at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection website.
Reported by Mark Abrams, KYW Newsradio 1060
