E.Coli Lurks In Water Supply Of San Jose Neighborhood, Hundreds Of Residents Forced To Boil Water
SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) – Crews are working around the clock to try to isolate and eliminate a source of E.coli contamination impacting the water supply in a San Jose neighborhood. Hundreds of homes and a school have been affected, and officials said it's been that way for days.
Leo Gauvin looks at the notice he received at his house Friday night, alerting him that he needed to boil any water used for drinking or cooking.
It was not welcome news.
"I guess something happened and E.coli got in there, that's all I know," Gauvin told KPIX 5. "It scares me. You can die from that."
For Gauvin and 300 other homes in San Jose near the Milpitas city line, they are dealing with the fallout from a water main replacement project last week.
"We found the presence of bacteria, specifically E.coli and total coliform in our water supply," said John Tang of the San Jose water company.
The boil order also affects the Milpitas Christian School, which is also in San Jose, and where Jess Chattha sends his two kids, 5-year-old Sophia and 8 year-old Jonah.
"We can't drink water and there are a bunch of signs on the fountains," said Jonah, who is in the second grade.
"We all got concerned. They wash their hands with the water, you know they are always splashing around," Jess Chattha said.
At this point, the source of the contamination is not known. But the San Jose Water Company said it is related to the construction project and did not exist before the work started to replace the water main.
"We believe that as a result of the work, somehow the bacteria got into the system. Fortunately we caught it as part of our protocols for sampling," Tang said.
The San Jose Water Company is providing free bottled water for anyone impacted at nearby Fire Station 19 on Sierra Road. At this point, there is no estimate as to when the water supply in this area will again be safe to drink.
Only the state can give the all-clear to lift the boil notice. The California Department of Water Resources is monitoring the situation.
