More on the MC water outage
June 16, 2008WSSC issued another update at 4pm on the 16th that included a boil advisory for the next three days. While the advisory recommends boiling water before brushing teeth, drinking etc…, the update does not mention anything about showering – which it seems to me would result in at least as much water exposure as teeth brushing. I tried calling the number that WSSC listed on their Web site to find out more information; however, I received a recording that repeated the information in the update and then referred me back to the Web site. Very helpful.
Several individuals read my earlier post when searching on some variation of “is it ok to take a shower”. I did email WSSC and asked this question. I have not yet received a response. In cased anyone would like to email WSSC, their email address is: communications@wsscwater.com. WJLA indicated in their coverage that WSSC said it was save to bath and do laundry, just not drink the water.
You can also find the latest advisory at: http://www.wssc.dst.md.us/info/releases/061708A.cfm
A map of the area affected by the boild advisory is availabel at: http://www.wssc.dst.md.us/OutageFolder/Overview.html
One more quick correction from my earlier post, it turns out that this was a 48 inch water main that broke, not a 36 inch water main.
——————–Update on June 18th———————-
The first set of water contamination tests came back negative. They need one more set of negative tests to confirm the results and then the boil advisory should be lifted.
Also, the Washington Post ran an article (see below) today saying that the early warning system to alert everyone of the Water Main Breakage failed because the two guys that know how to operate it were on vacation.
—————Final Update June19———————
WSSC has lifted the boil water advisory after two tests for contamination came back negative. Of course, there are still a lot of questions about how the event was managed that I think need to be answered.
http://www.wssc.dst.md.us/info/releases/061808B.cfm
————News Coverage———————
From News Channel 7 (WJLA): http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0608/528624.html
Washington Post Article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/18/AR2008061800410.html
http://www.wssc.dst.md.us/info/releases/061808B.cfm
What is really annoying is that I live in the effected area and started feeling sick last night, but I can’t find any resources on what to do if you think you might have ingested contaminated water! I mean I know I took medicine the night of the break and Monday morning, plus brushed my teeth before I learned of the warning. I would certainly like just a little bit of information about what to be prepared for, even if it is already too late.
On a related note, I didn’t even know about the actual issue until later in the morning, as Channel 9 chose to just tease the story as a ploy to get you to check their website. That did me no good, as I was just trying to catch the traffic before I hit the road. While the damage had already been done with me drinking the water it still would have been more responsible to present the story, rather the way they went about it.
Cary,
Thanks for posting. My guess is that unless large numbers of people get sick, it will be be difficult to really associate any one illness to the water, so we’ll probably never really know how much of a problem may or may not have occured.
My academic background is actually in microbiology and molecular biology, although to be clear, I have no medical training and I certainly can’t speak to all the possible health risks that lurk in a cup of contaminated drinking water.
I would guess the biggest concern is bacterial infection from of a couple of types of bacteria, especially from what are known as coliform bacteria (E. Coli for instance). The symptoms would typically be stomach and intestinal discomfort on the mild side to severe diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. You might want to go see a doctor if you don’t start feeling better. I think the chances of illness are pretty slim, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Hope you feel better.
Comment and Reply moved from “About the Author” on June 19th 08
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Paula Says:
June 18, 2008 at 10:23 pm e
I found your comments searching for the results of the second water test. I agree entirely with everything you have mentioned. When I heard the news report early in the morning, by chance, I was caught between the two breaks. The Urbana break is up the street from me. I wondered if the Derwood break had anything to do with the ICC construction underway in the same area. I’m surprised that few people get that showering or bathing for a woman is the same as getting water in your mouth, if you understand anatomy at all. I would add that the Safeway, Giant malf is probably due to Union regulations, that Shoppers, though also union based, has a less protective contract. That’s also why the government offices were closed. Running water is mandatory on work sites. Bathrooms must be in working order for people to work. A bit of an ironical reverse when you have to stay home , where there is no working sanitation. I would also note, that the good neighbors of Rockville, with their own water supply system, built on the backs of my state taxes, if not county also, were nowhere in the assistance line. And how do they come by their own water system anyway. A crisis like this holds huge implications for everyone who is already feeling put upon by those that control government actions at every level. They have been systematically rerouting water supply in the county for a decade. We are all going to see our share of the Katrina mentality sooner than later. I was just hoping, it would be later and not a quadruple whammy with water, food, gas, property taxes in the same year. I could digress into the whole Leggett legacy, but I try not to go there, and hope we aren’t going to end up there nationally speaking also. I mean with a political leader that comes tethered to tightly to the concerns of the wealthy. Our water woes pale in comparison to the other current crisis in the country and world, but as humans , we will still find difficulty in dealing with our own immediate circumstances. It may only be a small beginning. Big stuff is going to happen everywhere. Civilization is a fragile thing, that is obviously largely held together by equal access to water. Without it, we stink.
davidoarr Says:
June 19, 2008 at 1:16 am e
Paula,
Thanks for sharing. I think one does need to ask why a 28 year old water main would break so spectactularly. Even the little copper pipe leading into my house is expected to last longer than that. It could just be bad luck, or it could be indicative of a bigger problem. I hope that WSSC will look into this. In all fairness to WSSC, I do think that they have been pretty honest about the need to overall the infrastructure. They have been saying for years that they can’t support the current population with the existing infrastructure. Unfortunately, now is probably not the best time to increase rates on people that are already feeling the pinch from the dual afflictions of inflation and recession.
I think the bigger concern to which you alude, is that after 911 and Katrina, while a tremendous amount of money has been spent on communications equipment, training and emergency plan development, two guys going on vacation renders the entire investment worthless.
I also think that certain retail outlets like grociery stores and gas stations need to be brought into the emergency management infrastructure. When something like this happens, I am not driving to the fire department, police station or policy makers home for basic human needs. I am going the gas station to fill up my car’s gas tank and to the local grociery story for basic supplies. If USAID were managing a crisis response in some place like Myanmar, they would use the distribution resources available on the ground. It seems short-sited not to apply the same tactics here in our own communities.
Ultimately, this was a low cost test run for the system. Hopefully, everyone learned something and changes wil be made that improve our performance next time.