Legal Question Re E-Coli Contamination

[Zoomzoom]

Short version - our water was tested with an e-coli count of 200 last month but the municipality failed to inform anyone, or warn them to boil water.

Do we have any legal recourse against them for endangering lives by failing to inform us when there is contamination?



Longer version. Our water comes directly from a private source that feeds only our town, the water is filtered and chlorinated but not otherwise treated. Heavy rain does cause a burden on the chlorination/filtration system so iffy water after rain is expected and not generally a problem. There are a bunch of environmental factors that are contributing to the e-coli problem at the moment, but it is not the norm. Water testing is only done monthly and test results are only published on some schedule only the municipality can fathom. In fact we had no results published at all since December and they just published January to April in one info dump today. Which is when we discovered the e-coli from the beginning of April.

 

[Gordon_R]

Short answer: No, no and no.

Longer answer:
E-coli is unlikely harm you, but is a marker of contamination: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteriological_water_analysis
Many municipalties in SA have completely dysfunctional water supplies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water...Africa#Water_quality_and_continuity_of_supply
Unless there is an active outbreak of waterborne disease such as cholera or typhoid, you have little to worry about: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterborne_diseases#Bacterial

 

[Nirv]

I think the accepted safe level of E. coli is around <2000cfu per 100ml so your "200 count" is a bit vague and probably fine.

 

[Gordon_R]

If you have the time, you can read the DWA standards for drinking water: http://www.dwa.gov.za/iwqs/wq_guide/Pol_saWQguideFRESH_vol1_Domesticuse.PDF

 

[Zoomzoom]

Yeah the only problem is that people do get sick from the water with gyppo guts. And there is some kind of biggish problem with the water source at the moment. Although our water is independent, it comes off the same mountain as #NearestBigTown #, which has had very poor quality water for months and residents are advised to boil water. Just when it comes to us ... not so much concern is shown.

 

[Zoomzoom]

Short answer: No, no and no.

Longer answer:
E-coli is unlikely harm you, but is a marker of contamination: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteriological_water_analysis
Many municipalties in SA have completely dysfunctional water supplies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water...Africa#Water_quality_and_continuity_of_supply
Unless there is an active outbreak of waterborne disease such as cholera or typhoid, you have little to worry about: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterborne_diseases#Bacterial

I think you are confusing e-coli with total coliforms. Total coliforms + turbidity are the markers for contamination.

E-coli is used as a marker for other microbial contamination, such as giardia, cryptosporidium, shigella and norovirus, but it is not 'harmless'. Diseases acquired from contact with contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal illness, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections. The most commonly reported symptoms are stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and low-grade fever.

Children under the age of five, the elderly, and people whose health is weakened (i.e., people who have long-term illnesses such as cancer or AIDS) are at greater risk of severe illness from e-coli.

So no, really not harmless.

I think the accepted safe level of E. coli is around <2000cfu per 100ml so your "200 count" is a bit vague and probably fine.

Maximum Acceptable Concentration for Drinking Water = none detectable per 100 mL This means that in order to conform to the guideline: For every 100 mL of drinking water tested, no total coliforms or E.coli should be detected.

If you have the time, you can read the DWA standards for drinking water: http://www.dwa.gov.za/iwqs/wq_guide/Pol_saWQguideFRESH_vol1_Domesticuse.PDF

I've read them. Cue long standing battle with the municipality to actually use the latest version.

 

[Metallicson]

I think you are confusing e-coli with total coliforms. Total coliforms + turbidity are the markers for contamination.

E-coli is used as a marker for other microbial contamination, such as giardia, cryptosporidium, shigella and norovirus, but it is not 'harmless'. Diseases acquired from contact with contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal illness, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections. The most commonly reported symptoms are stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and low-grade fever.

Children under the age of five, the elderly, and people whose health is weakened (i.e., people who have long-term illnesses such as cancer or AIDS) are at greater risk of severe illness from e-coli.

So no, really not harmless.



Maximum Acceptable Concentration for Drinking Water = none detectable per 100 mL This means that in order to conform to the guideline: For every 100 mL of drinking water tested, no total coliforms or E.coli should be detected.



I've read them. Cue long standing battle with the municipality to actually use the latest version.

Hi Zoomzoom, sorry to hear about your hardship. Where do you live?

SKILL IS A TRADE