SPRING – A sample taken from the water supply in the Northgate Crossing Municipal Utility District No 1. tested positive for E. coli on Tuesday.
Officials said the affected water is being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and the well has been taken off-line until the same results test negative for E. Coli.
Some people in the Spring area said something like this should not happen.
“This is really sad and unacceptable,” resident Latoya Johnson said.
You can get really sick,” resident Robert Reyes said.
The Northgate Crossing MUD District No. 1 said the water is still safe to drink, but according to the CDC, drinking water contaminated with bacteria found in E. Coli can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea and headaches.
On Wednesday, residents received a letter on their door about the water supply.
Resident Sheila Whisenhunt has lived in Spring for five years and refuses to drink the water.
“It tastes terrible. Even (when) filtering it, it tastes bad, so I buy my water,” she said.
“Well now, we have gone out and purchased water and we have not drunk anything since we received the letter,” Jackson said.
It’s unclear how the bacteria got into the water supply, but the Northgate Crossing Municipal Utility District No. 1 released the following statement:
“This sample was taken from the well’s raw water sample point before the water is treated by the District. Accordingly, this sample is pretreatment and not the same water in the distribution system that supplies water to the district’s customers.”
Whisenhunt said she pays about $90 a month for water and sewage. She said E. Coli found in samples of the water supply is unacceptable.
“I want clean, good-tasting water. It can happen. They just need to do it,” she said.
“We need better communication. I think that should have been the start from the beginning,” Johnson said.
The Northgate Crossing Mud District 1 said the problem should be resolved in the next 48 hours.