City of Casper: Drinking Water Still Safe Despite Resident’s Concerns
The City of Casper says that drinking water is still safe, despite a report from a concerned citizen earlier this week.
That citizen had privately tested the water from their household and received a positive result for total coliform, which indicates that other potentially harmful fecal bacteria could be present. City crews immediately took samples from that house and the surrounding area, according to a statement Thursday from Jolene Martinez, an assistant to the city manager.
The water samples collected by city crews returned mixed results, with some positive for total coliform and others negative. No water sample tested positive for fecal bacteria, according to the statement.
However, as a precautionary measure, the neighborhood was converted to a different pressure zone in order to increase chlorine residuals and water circulation.
The City sent additional samples to an independent lab for testing on Wednesday. Initial results, the City says, indicate no issues with the water. Conclusive results are expected Thursday afternoon, and the City says those results will be shared with the community as soon as they become available.
"The City continues to take water quality seriously and performs water quality tests weekly throughout the city throughout the year," Thursday's statement reads in part. "The City will continue to release information as it becomes available."