By ED BALDRIDGE
ed.baldridge@newssun.com
AVON PARK -- In March 2008 drinking water at Sebring Ridge Utilities, owned and operated by the city of Avon Park, tested positive for coliform bacteria, and a slow response to the incident gave cause for the Department of Environmental Protection to levy a fine.
In a public notice dated June 20, 2008 the city admits to not following through with the required testing and states that "we cannot be sure of the quality of your drinking water during that time."
Additionally, in a Sanitation Survey conducted at that same time, several other deficiencies were noted including excessive algae growth and three leaking concrete tanks.
According to the DEP, coliform bacteria, or fecal bacteria, are the commonly-used indicator of the sanitary quality of foods and water.
Coliforms are abundant in the feces of warm-blooded animals, but can also be found in the aquatic environment, in soil and on vegetation.
In most instances, coliforms themselves are not the cause of sickness, but they are easy to culture and their presence is used to indicate that other pathogenic organisms of fecal origin may be present such as pathogens, viruses, or parasites including Escherichia coli, or E. coli, which is the major species in the fecal coliform group
The presence of these organisms that can be harmful to humans in contaminated drinking water supplies are rare, but water pollution caused by fecal contamination is a serious problem due to the potential for contracting diseases from pathogens.
Anytime there is a water line break, or the presence of coliforms are determined to be too high, the DEP and Health Department recommends a boil water warning, and suggests using bottled water for drinking and cooking.
After testing positive in March 2008, Avon Park was required by law to submit five microbiological samples in April that would indicate the extent of the water quality and to notify the public that the drinking water might be unsafe immediately so that the water could be boiled.
E-mails from Ted Long, Public Works supervisor in 2008, showed that he was seeking direction from City Manager Sarah Adelt concerning the deficiencies noted by the DEP, but no action was taken until May.
The public was not notified until June.
A letter from the DEP to Mayor Sharon Schuler informed the city that it was in violation of the law regarding the testing and notices, and Avon Park was assessed a fine of $2,000, but the city took no action to notify the public until after the DEP fine.
Records from the DEP also show that Avon Park hand delivered notices to residents almost two months after the incident, on June 13, 16, and 17, 2008, too late for water customers to take any precautions, but at least one resident in the Sebring Ridge area never received a notice.
"I had no idea that there were problems with the water supply," said J.R. Gonzalas, a resident of Sebring Ridge during that time period.
"I never got a hand-delivered notice, and I don't remember seeing anything in the newspapers," Gonzalas said.
The documents submitted by Avon Park to the DEP show that no notices went out to local newspapers for the incident.
According to a June 9, 2009 report from DEP, most of the other deficiencies, including the leaking tanks, have not been brought into compliance, putting Avon Park in line for more possible fines.
Leaking tanks become a water source for birds and small animals. The animals often defecate in the same area, and the leak allows the bacteria to enter the drinking water source.
The total amount paid in fines and administrative costs by the city to date for that incident has only been $1,850. According to DEP records, the original fine of $2,000 was reduced to $1,600 because of a lack of prior history, and an additional $250 to reimburse DEP for the investigation was added to the settlement.
Members of the Avon Park City Council contacted stated they were not fully aware of the problems, declined to comment, or did not return phone calls on this issue.
Friday, June 19, 2009 - www.newssun.com/0619-eb-ap-water-problems