Pine Valley Subcommittee hears report on coliform/E. coli water contamination and remediation steps

The Pine Valley Subcommittee was told that routine testing of the facility—s well system produced positive coliform and E. coli results in multiple locations, prompting immediate remediation and public-health steps.

Administrator (staff member) told members the facility had resumed use of its well and initially recorded two subsequent negative tests, but a lab sample taken on Sept. 22 returned a positive coliform indicator. Follow-up sampling confirmed E. coli in a few locations, and staff initiated a precautionary bottled-water protocol while working with the Department of Health Services and outside contractors.

The administrator said staff moved quickly to secure potable water, purchased large containers, and accepted donated water from community vendors, including Martin Brothers. He also described on-site disinfection: reservoir dosing with bleach, flushing equipment, and coordinated sampling to confirm when water returned to acceptable levels.

Staff said the exact contamination source remains unknown. They cited concurrent construction near the site and heavy use of river water by construction trucks as plausible, but said tests have not identified a definitive origin. A reservoir-inspection contractor was scheduled to perform cosmetic repairs and deeper inspections within one to two weeks to look for an entry point.

Committee members and staff discussed options to protect the supply going forward. Mark Cooley, the newly elected vice chair, and staff described technical approaches including ultraviolet (UV) sterilization, reverse-osmosis and filtration systems, and the tradeoffs of connecting to municipal (city) water. Staff noted such systems require sizing to the facility—s daily demand (discussed roughly as 10,000 gallons per day in the meeting) and estimated capital costs could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars; staff said more precise costing would require measurement of actual daily usage and vendor quotes.

The administrator emphasized coordination with state public-health officials. He said the Department of Health Services reviewed the sampling results and that the facility had followed state-required sampling and public-notification steps. Staff also noted that testing requirements for well systems have evolved and that the state would change the testing rules again in 2026.

Members said community assistance had been significant during the incident. The administrator described the response as a team effort by staff and local vendors and said an after-action review would identify procedural improvements for future events.

No formal capital decision was made at the meeting; staff said they would return with cost estimates and usage data if the subcommittee wanted to consider capital investments or a switch to city water.