Detention camp water order lifted

L.A. County public health officials lifted a boil-water order at a county juvenile detention camp Wednesday afternoon, weeks after they detected bacteria in the camp’s water supply.

Health department officials issued the boil-water order Oct. 3 after tests in late September showed coliform bacteria in tap water at Camp David Gonzalez in Malibu, which houses about 100 teenage boys. None of the youths or two dozen staff at the camp were sickened by the contaminated water, county probation officials said, so they did not notify parents or guardians.

County supervisors called for an investigation into the cause of the contamination during their meeting Tuesday.

In recent days, county facilities staff have added chlorine to the camp’s two 500,000-gallon water tanks; and after tests during each of the last three days showed no bacteria in the water, county Health Department officials lifted the boil-water order about 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Health Department staffers plan to continue testing water at the camp to determine what caused the contamination, officials said. Facilities staffers plan to test camp water weekly to ensure adequate chlorine levels, and will continue monthly tests for the presence of bacteria.

County facilities managers also said they planned to hire divers to inspect the interior of the camp’s water tanks.

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske