LA Community Building water tests showed chloroform and E. coli; system shocked, tests now clean

Officials told the Richland County Public Works Committee that the LA Community Building temporarily lost use of its water after tests detected chloroform and E. coli.

Committee members said Schreiber provided emergency water to the site while operators performed shock chlorination (bleaching) of the system. According to the update, the site now has three consecutive clean water samples. Committee members said staff were continuing to investigate the contamination’s source; the meeting record shows the site did not test for whether the contaminant was from human or animal origin.

The committee discussed additional steps to secure the reservoir and lines and said the facility’s staff planned to present a fuller update to the executive and finance committee next week.

No formal action was taken in the committee; members discussed testing procedures and possible further investigations if recurring contamination appears.