Part II:
Lowery
was shocked to learn that the water from her faucet was the source of
the deadly germs. In fact, 64 people were confirmed to be infected (more
than became ill) and 19 were hospitalized. The small town of Alpine was
not required by law to treat the spring that supplied the town's water
because regular monitoring showed it to be safe. But when animal waste
washed into the spring, bacteria coursed through Alpine's pipes, according
to Chuck Higgins, manager of Consumer Heath Services with Wyoming's Department
of Agriculture and the official in charge of tracing the source of the
outbreak. While one person can get a whopping infectious dose from tap
water, another may be able to dodge the bug - as was the case with Lowery's
husband and daughter.
Over a two-month period, Lowery's health gradually returned to normal. Her son, who suffered a mild bout, also recovered completely. Though Alpine's water supply is now from a chlorinated well system, Lowery hasn't put the trauma totally behind her. "I'm still a little nervous so I use an in-home water-purification system to give me extra piece of mind," she says. (Remember, though: Not all of these systems kill bacteria.)
Is your tap water safe? Probably, since water from the majority of public systems is regularly disinfected, usually with chlorine, and checked for pollutants. Plus, by law, your local water utility must send you a detailed report on the safety and quality of your tap water by the end of this year. Meanwhile, call your local health department or check for information on the internet if you would like to find out about the source of your drinking water and how it's treated or if you need help monitoring a private well.
Pollution