Disinfection of the well is ongoing
EL PASO - El Paso Water officials confirm that a new raw water sample taken from a Lower Valley well has tested negative for E. coli after testing positive earlier this week. The well has been disinfected and the storage tank is being drained and refilled. The entire site is expected to return to service next week once a tank sample comes back negative. Officials want to assure the public that the water delivered to the public continues to be safe to drink.
On Nov. 19, a routine raw groundwater sample taken from the well, located on the 900 block of Kessler, tested positive for E. coli. Raw water samples are taken prior to the treatment and disinfection process and do not represent the final quality of water provided from the distribution system. Upon discovery of the positive E. Coli result, EPWater worked with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to notify the public and take corrective action.
“EPWater places the highest value on the health and safety of water in our community,” said Vice President Gilbert Trejo. “Immediately after receiving the positive test result, we shut down the source well and routed another source of water to our customers. The water samples and chlorine levels from our distribution system during the time of the event confirmed the water was safe to drink.”
Regular testing of raw groundwater at the site and the distribution system will continue. This type of detection is extremely rare within the EPWater system. The utility has an estimated 157 wells throughout the city and performs monthly tests of every well to assure water quality.
For questions related to this event, please contact Richard Wilcox at (915) 594-5407 or [email protected]. Customers can call the International Water Quality Lab at (915) 594-5733 for general water quality questions or to request testing of their water.