Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
DIAMOND VALLEY, Washington County — A boil order was issued last week for a small community near St. George after E. coli bacteria was found in water samples, according to the Diamond Valley Water Company. The water company said Tuesday it hopes the order could be lifted by the weekend.
The company said water samples taken June 19 tested positive for E. coli bacteria — which can indicate water is contaminated with human or animal waste; and total coliform bacteria, a broader array of bacteria that can be a sign of other bacteria. Because a test last month was positive for E. coli, the company sent samples to two separate laboratories. One test was positive for E. coli and the other was positive for total coliform, without E. coli.
A subsequent mandatory test was done on June 20, following the positive results, the company said.
"The E. coli bacteria were reported as absent in the repeat samples; however, some of the samples were positive for total coliform," an update on the company's website read.
The company said it has turned off the Whitaker Well — where one of the total coliform samples was taken — and is chlorinating and testing the water supply to ensure safety.
Residents of Diamond Valley — a small, unincorporated area just northeast of Snow Canyon State Park — are advised to boil water for at least a minute before using it for cooking, drinking, brushing teeth or washing dishes, until further notice.
On Tuesday, Diamond Valley Water Company said it received results for water samples from Monday at all four sample sites and none of the samples was positive for total coliforms or E. coli.
"While this is good news we are still adding chlorine to the water, so the state will NOT count the samples towards lifting the boil order," the company said on its website.
Chlorine will still be added through Tuesday evening and the dose will be increased "as an extra measure of precaution to make sure any remaining bacteria are gone," the company said; the community may smell strong scents of chlorine for the next day.
Once all chlorine has gone out of the system and the disinfection process is complete, the company will need two consecutive clean samples before lifting the boil order. Diamond Valley Water Company is hopeful the order could be lifted by Saturday.
