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For immediate release: November 9, 2005 (05-145)
Contact:
Leslie Thorpe, Office of Drinking
Water 360-236-3098
Jeff Smith, Communications Office
360-236-4072
OLYMPIA ¾ The Department of Health today issued a fine of $31,680 against the Grays Harbor County Water District 1 water system in Grayland for submitting false bacteria test reports, thereby potentially risking the health of people who drank the water.
The department also suspended the system’s certified water works operator, Charles A. Chafin, for up to one year. Chafin’s suspension will be reduced to six months, however, if he gets additional training and makes a presentation on drinking water safety.
Under orders of Commissioner Arnold Perttula, who admitted he had directed staff to take improper samples, Chafin had for years been taking monthly bacteria samples at the well rather than throughout the system’s distribution pipes as required. The samples were then falsely labeled by administrative staff before they were submitted to the department.
“Mr. Chafin eventually came forward and told us what was going on, so we’re giving him the option of reducing his suspension,” said Denise Clifford, director of the department’s Office of Drinking Water. “He finally did the right thing; still, it’s important that he understand the seriousness of his actions. After all, it was his responsibility to make sure the water was safe to drink.”
Because the department can only take action against the water system or its operator, state officials are also asking the Grays Harbor County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to pursue criminal charges against the district.
Dangerous bacteria such as E. coli can get into distribution pipes and plumbing through cracks, new construction and other system breaches. The only way to know if these harmful bacteria are in the water is to conduct tests throughout the water system, not just at the well.
If the problems are not found and fixed, these bacteria can make people sick. Fortunately, recent samples that were taken properly showed no harmful bacteria in the pipes. It appears no one has been harmed.
The penalty amount is based on a standard formula and reflects violations over a 12-month period. “We know the improper sampling has been going on for at least a decade, and the penalties could well have been much higher,” said Clifford.
In July when the problems in Grayland were first identified, the Department of Health began working with the water district to investigate the extent of the problem, examine the water system’s operation, and correct the sampling problem. The department then placed the water system under a restricted — or red — operating permit, meaning it cannot add connections or grow until needed improvements are made. That restriction remains in effect.
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