(KMJ) – A ‘boil order’ is still in place in the Madera County Community of North Fork.
Five tests were run on the ‘Maintenance District 8 water supply, and the results came back Friday afternoon.
These tests showed evidence of coliform — but no “e-coli in the water (as seen in the report released below on Friday March 18th, 2016).
Work continues to fix the issue according to Tom Wheeler, Madera County Supervisor District 5; ‘They put chlorine and other chemicals in the water, they put it right down in the well, and the tank, and after they do that they got to let it set for while and they will flush it all.”
After the chlorine is added, more tests will be run today and those results will be back, Saturday.
In the meantime, residents are advised to continue boiling their water – private wells are not affected.
Update to MD 8: Special District received results from their five repeat samples that were taken on Thursday; only one test came back positive for total coliform at the well, but no E.Coli was detected. The boil water order is still in effect as a precautionary measure until we get passing sample results that were taken today on Saturday. If results come back negative on Saturday we will lift the boil water order.
In the meantime EH staffs are heading up to NF to inform the five closed food facilities that they are allowed to open as long as they perform precautionary measures like checking tap water for chlorine before washing produce or washing utensil, serving bottle water for consumption, boiling water for cooking, and stop the use of the soda and ice machine.
Special District is working in the meantime to install a chlorinating system and investigating all possible contamination points. – Dexter Marr, REHS, Interim Deputy Director Madera County Community and Economic Development / Environmental Health Division.