Minister of Environment Chester Gillan has announced changes to the way in which Islanders who rely on a private well for their drinking water are notified if E. coli is detected in their neighbourhood.
"I want to emphasize that the safety of Islanders has always been the primary consideration when E. coli is detected in a private well, and the policy has been to inform residents in the immediate investigation area," said Minister Gillan. "However, I understand that Islanders are concerned when they hear that a neighbour is experiencing a problem with their water. In response to those concerns, provincial environment and health officials have reviewed the notification policy with an eye to finding an approach that would inform nearby residents when E. coli has been detected in their general area."
In the past, when E. coli was detected in a private well, the homeowner was immediately notified and advised to boil the water. When the presence of E. coli was confirmed, the department would undertake an investigation to determine the extent of the contamination and identify the source. As part of that investigation, staff would take water samples from neighbouring properties and the owners would be informed that a groundwater problem was detected in the area. Minister Gillan said the refined protocol will allow staff to make other residents outside the immediate investigation area aware of the problem.
"In future, when the presence of E. coli is confirmed in a private well, residents within a 150-metre (500-foot) radius of the contaminated well will be informed that a water quality problem is being investigated in the general area and that they may wish to sample their wells," said Minister Gillan.
The Minister noted the same protocol does not apply to total coliform bacteria because it is an entirely different type of bacteria. The presence of E. coli in a water sample indicates that the well has been contaminated by sewage or manure. There is a specific source of contamination that must be identified and removed, such as a leaking septic system or an abandoned septic tank. Some strains of E. coli can result in serious illness. On the other hand, total coliform occurs naturally in the environment and is not, in itself, a health concern. It indicates a problem with the well construction or maintenance which could potentially allow other more harmful bacteria to enter the system. Because the presence of total coliform is directly related to construction or maintenance of the affected well, contamination of one well has little bearing on whether an adjacent well will be contaminated.
"I want to remind Islanders that there is no evidence to suggest that the quality of the water resource in Prince Edward Island is any different today than it was in the past," added Minister Gillan. "Through the Provincial Drinking Water Strategy, we have been encouraging homeowners to have their water tested and they are doing that in record numbers. As a result, we are able to identify areas where outdated or poorly-maintained wells and sewage disposal systems pose a threat to our water resources and recommend steps to correct the situation. The Strategy is working."
While announcing the changes to the policy regarding notification of E. coli in private wells, Minister Gillan provided an update on steps being taken to address concerns of residents of the Rosebank-Aptos area, as well as other areas of the Town of Stratford.
"Investigators have determined that the most likely cause of the water quality problems is sewage coming from a number of sources including broken sewer lines, leaking septic systems, and old septic tanks that were not properly decommissioned. The department, in cooperation with the Town of Stratford, is actively working to resolve these problems," said Minister Gillan.
Staff of the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment have been working with the Stratford Utility Corporation to identify properties that have active septic systems where municipal sewer service is available and properties that have abandoned septic tanks. The two parties have adopted an agreed approach to handling the issues. It is estimated there are more than 90 abandoned septic tanks and the department is working with the town to have these decommissioned. As well, a break in a sewer lateral has been identified and repaired, and 13 active septic systems have been located and action is being taken to ensure these properties are hooked up to the municipal sewer system as soon as possible.