LA CONCHITA : Officials Testing Safety of Water
Although county residents north of the Ventura River had water Friday, they should continue to boil the water before using it, authorities said.
“It’s going to take us until Monday to make sure that the water is not contaminated,” said John Johnson, general manager of the Casitas Municipal Water District. “Only after we make several bacteriological tests can we be sure that the water is safe to drink.”
Johnson said district staff will check the water for bacteria on Saturday. Once the tests are conducted, the district has to wait 24 hours for results.
About 650 customers in La Conchita and neighboring communities were left with a short supply of water when the main pipeline serving the area broke during last week’s storms.
Residents without the means to boil water should mix eight drops of bleach per gallon of water and allow it to stand for 30 minutes before using it, Johnson said.
Meanwhile, another small break in the line that serves La Conchita was discovered Friday afternoon.
Work crews were expected to repair the two-inch hole in the eight-inch line by midnight. Casitas spokesman Dick Barnett said La Conchita residents would notice no change in their water service except for a drop in pressure for a few hours.
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