E. coli in Drinking Water at New Jersey Amusement Park
Drinking water at Land of Make Believe amusement park in Hope Township, New Jersey has tested positive for E. coli bacteria, according to local news outlets. The park will undergo plumbing repairs and water use restrictions, Warren County Health Officer Peter Summers told news sources. Over 50 years old, the park will remain open and Summers says the facilities are safe for visitors. The pool water has not tested positive for E. coli, the harmful pathogen that can cause serious illness if ingested, especially in children and the elderly.
“With the temporary measures [the amusement park] put in place, it’s safe for them to operate,” Summers said.
According to the news report, Warren County officials found out in late July that one of five drinking water samples taken from the park had tested positive for E. coli. Visitors are being instructed not to drink the water. Plumbing repairs have finished and the park’s drinking water will be tested again this week. So long as the park is taking steps to remedy the issue, no fines will be imposed. News reports cited that the Land of Make Believe did receive a violation in 2009 from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for “unpermitted discharge to ground or surface water from a septic system.”
Source:
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1282104315245270.xml&coll=3
Tags: e coli in water sources
