Public notification: Monitoring violation of the water testing schedule
Public notification: Monitoring violation of the water testing schedule
October 6, 2017
Public notification: Monitoring violation of the water testing schedule
The City of Cedar Rapids Utilities Department – Water Division violated a drinking water monitoring standard in September 2017 by only collecting 97 of the required 100 routine water samples to test for the presence of total coliform bacteria. Even though this oversight is not an emergency health concern, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct this situation.
We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. During September 2017, we collected and analyzed 97 of the required 100 routine samples.
What should I do?
There is nothing you need to do at this time.
What Happened? What is being done?
In September 2017, the Cedar Rapids Water Division collected and analyzed a total of 101 drinking water samples. Of those samples, 97 were routine samples and 4 were re-samples that were collected from a location that had already been sampled that month. In order to meet our drinking water monitoring requirement, we must collect 100 samples from several different locations within our distribution system each month. The Water Division has implemented some process changes to prevent this from happening in the future. Specifically, we have modified how monthly sample collection is tracked to more completely reflect all samples that are collected and ensure appropriate sample designations are documented. We will also be offering additional training for all laboratory staff involved with this entire process.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
