Blytheville Waterworks Plant Manager Gregory Hamlett said there is no need to be alarmed over a recent public notice notifying residents of coliforms found in a July sample.
Hamlett noted the city caught two coliforms in July, exceeding the number allowable by one. But the city was not put under a boil order and the water is safe to drink, he said.
According to Hamlett, the city is allowed 12 coliforms per year or one per month.
He said the water department performs about 15 samples per month and the samples that followed the positive sample have been negative.
"There's nothing to worry about," Hamlett said. "We've got good water."
"I drink the water, my daughter drinks the water," he added. "There's nothing wrong with the water."
A representative with the Arkansas Department of Health agreed.
"There was never any danger to the public, which is why there was no boil order issued," said Glen Gregory, engineer supervisor with the Department of Health.
He said Blytheville has good water and, until July, it hadn't had any violations in a long time.
Gregory said the positive sample could have stemmed from a bad sampling technique or cross contamination because the followup samples tested negative.
He noted neither of the two coliform samples tested positive for E. coli, which is why there was no boil order issued.
Hamlett said he fielded about 29 calls from concerned residents Sunday.
He said he understands their concerns, but says the water is safe to drink.
"I have full faith and confidence in Blytheville water," Waterworks General Manager Gary Phillips added.
The public notice is part of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, which requires water departments to notify residents whenever a violation occurs.
"This water system failed to meet the maximum containment level for total coliform in July, 2013," the notice reads.
The report said the United States Environmental Protection Agency sets drinking water standards and has determined that the presence of total coliforms is a possible health concern.
"Total coliforms are common in the environment and are generally not harmful themselves," the report reads. "The presence of these bacteria in drinking water, however, generally is a result of a problem with water treatment or the pipes which distribute the water, and indicated that the water may be contaminated with organisms that cause disease."
The report says disease symptoms may include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, possibly jaundice, and any associated headaches and fatigue.
According to the EPA standards, no more than 5 percent of the samples collected during a month can contain these bacteria, except that systems collecting fewer than 40 samples per month that have one total coliform positive sample per month are not violating the standard.
"Failure to meet the total coliform standard does not mean that the water is unsafe or that alternate sources of water should be used," the report reads. "The water system has caught resamples that have tested negative for bacteria and also flushed low flow areas."
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com