Wastewater Burglars Urged To Seek E. Coli Treatment

Authorities in southeast Indiana have cautioned those responsible for breaking into a local wastewater treatment plant to check into a doctor’s office as quickly as possible.

Police said that sometime on November 7 or early the next day, someone broke into the plant and stole several items, also vandalizing other items.

"During the burglary the suspect(s) came into contact with strains of E. coli that were in an incubator so they need to seek medical attention immediately!!" local police wrote in a Facebook post.

Signs and symptoms of E. coli infection usually begin a few days after exposure to the bacteria. Symptoms can include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, pain or tenderness, nausea, and vomiting.

In places such as Old Town Alexandria, VA each time it rains, raw sewage spews into the Potomac River to the tune of about 11.3 million gallons a year.

The sewage that enters the river can lead to excessive amounts of E. coli and has been found in high levels along the part of the river that borders Alexandria.

According to The Washington Post, under order from federal authorities, Alexandria is “launching an expensive effort to capture and contain overflows in three locations,” that should address most of the issues.

During flooding in 2013, Colorado had had issues with E. coli. The bacteria entered the water system in the town of Lyons, where residents were informed of the outbreak.

“We don’t want you using any of the water,” Victoria Simonsen, a town official, said per the Los Angeles Times.

Comments:

Concerned Citizen

Why were "... strains of E. coli that were in an incubator"?!?!?!? Why was the wastewater treatment plant holding onto this bacteria?

DW/WWoperator

Wastewater is tested daily to determine how much, if any e.coli is present in the treated water. Lab procedures require that actual e.coli be tested as a control or standard to verify that the tests are working properly. The test involves incubating samples to see if any e.coli (even one cell) grows to a level which can be detected with a microscope. All wastewater plants and all drinking water plants perform e.coli tests so the incubation of e.coli is an industry standard. However, certified lab analysts wear protective gear when handling these samples - the burglars would not have known to do so

patrick venton

That E.coli is present in any waste water beyond the feed lot shows, just how stupid to the fact, society is.

William Cardinal

E-coli are everywhere. Not just feed lots. Produce, children's fecal, adult care, water treatment plant raw water sources etc....

patrick venton ·

small amounts that are normally not able to overrule normal bacteria. Animal farming of cattle specifically, produce vast amounts of E coli that is connected to their need to digest grains.

Diana Beehler ·

Total Coliform Bacteria and E. coli, which is a sub-set of total coliform, are tested for at virtually every waste water treatment plant and public drinking water system in this country. Waste water plants test for it at different stages in the treatment process and before the treated effluent is put back into the environment. Drinking water systems are required to test for it in the distribution system throughout the month-the number of samples tested depends on how large the system is. Total coliform/E. coli are indicator organisms that represent possible pathogenic contamination and are used because they are easy to test for and results are obtainable within 24 hours. Total Coliform/E. coli is found in pretty much every stream, lake, river, pond, toilet out there-anywhere a warm blooded mammal may have pooped. Large drinking water systems that test more than 40 samples a month can even have up to 5% positive for Total Coliform before they have a monthly maximum contaminant level violation. The fact that it was in this lab is not weird. What is, is what did these burglars do to be exposed? Open the petrie dish or Quantitray and lick the stuff?

http://www.wateronline.com/doc/wastewater-burglars-urged-seek-treatment-0001