Warning: The City of Ione’s Tested Positive for Coliform

The City of Ione has been informed that the water sample taken this week was positive for Coliform.  The State of Oregon and Box R Water (the laboratory that performs our water testing) believes this a false positive. The City of Ione is asking that all citizens use bottled water or boil any water used for drinking, brushing teeth, etc. for 1 minute, until the new water test results come back mid next week.  

Please note the following:

1. In water tests positive for Coliform, discontinue drinking or brushing teeth unless you treat the water. Treatment can be achieved by boiling the water for at least one minute. Or use bottled water.

2. While bathing and showering in water with coliform is not the safest; it can be done by an adult who knows not to swallow the water. However, bathing an infant or young child, an elderly person, or even someone with open wounds, is not recommended.

3. It is safe to wash dishes, if you hand-wash and rinse for 1 minute in a bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach per gallon of water). Allow dishes to completely air dry. Most household dishwashers do not reach the proper temperature to sanitize dishes. However, you may wash dishes in a dishwasher with a sanitize cycle.

4. Prior boiling is not necessary if you are going to boil the water while cooking,

5. If coliform positive water is boiled for 1 minute it can be used for any purpose without any worry.

What are coliform bacteria?

Coliform Bacteria are a class of rod-shaped bacteria that can utilize lactose (milk, sugar) as a sole source of food. Coliform bacteria are found essentially everywhere, in soil, lakes, streams and rivers. Generally, coliform bacteria do not cause disease. The presence of coliform bacteria is used as an indication that other disease-causing organisms may be present in drinking water.