California Water Service Co. earlier this week enacted emergency response protocol and alerted hundreds of Los Altos customers that their tap water is temporarily unsafe to drink.
Cal Water officials issued a notice July 26 that the company discovered E. coli and total coliform in a portion of the local water supply. The bacteria can make people sick, particularly infants, children, seniors and those with weakened immune systems.
The affected area initially included approximately 850 customers north and south of South El Monte Avenue between La Paloma Road and Magdalena Avenue but over time was reduced to an area of a few blocks by Tuesday night (July 28).
Michael Smith, Los Altos district distribution superintendent for Cal Water, said the positive samples potentially resulted from an emergency water main repair on Okeefe Lane July 24. The repair required workers to replace a section of damaged pipe, and the water may have been infected during the process, he said. As part of standard procedure, workers sent water samples to the Cal Water lab in San Jose and received confirmation of E. coli and total coliform Sunday. Smith said lab results typically take 24 hours to process.
“Sometimes you do get false positive results – we cannot rule this out,” Smith noted. “We’re operating under emergency response protocol.”
Smith said officials collected additional water-quality samples Sunday and Monday to send to the Cal Water lab, which will confirm results with the California Department of Water Resources.
“Assuming they come back negative, we’ll lift the ‘boil water’ notice,” he said.
Officials originally notified residents via email, automated phone calls, fliers and door-to-door notification – some “well into the morning hours” Monday, Smith said.
At the downtown Los Altos Safeway, the water aisle’s shelves were stripped half empty Monday morning as residents trickled in to buy supplies.
Lou Dadok, who first learned he shouldn’t drink his water from a neighbor Sunday and then received a flier on his door Monday morning, was buying bottled water but said he wasn’t overly concerned about the two-day gap between potential exposure and notification.
“Our water is safer than 90 percent of the world’s, and I’m healthy,” Dadok said, noting that neighbors with existing health conditions might feel more vulnerable.
Ironically, the bacteria alert followed on the heels of a scam in which two burglars posed as utility workers repairing contaminated pipes (see page 4). Los Altos Police remind residents to request workers’ credentials and work orders before allowing access to their homes.
Precautions
E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal waste. Microbes in the waste can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches and/or other symptoms.
Cal Water officials stressed that the symptoms are not always caused by organisms in drinking water. If customers experience persistent symptoms, officials recommend that they seek medical attention.
For those impacted by the South El Monte Avenue contamination, Cal Water officials advised boiling water for one minute or using bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and preparing food until further notice.
Customers should also discard ice cubes made from tap water or their refrigerators’ water lines. Residents with pets should consult a veterinarian. Tap water is safe for showering, bathing and other household uses, according to Cal Water officials.
Cal Water will reimburse customers who prefer to use bottled water. Customers should save their receipts and bring them to the district office at 949 B St.
For more information, call Cal Water’s Customer Center at 917-0152.
