Follow up tests show all clear

A sample of the water used by businesses at Ken’s Korner tested positive for the e. coli bacteria last week.

The sample was tested following the routine monthly screening of the system, managed by King Water Management in Coupeville.

After the one positive test from a faucet in a restroom for Escherchia coli, five more samples were taken the next day from the faucet as well as several different locations at Ken’s Korner.

Results came back Saturday from the state-licensed Avocet Environmental Laboratory in Bellingham, and the second series of tests were all clear..

Clive Defty, owner of King Water, said the discovery of the e. coli was made during routine testing.

“We routinely check the water every month. On Thursday, a sample came back positive for e.coli,” he said.

As soon as the test results were known by King Water, the management posted “boil water” notices at Ken’s Korner and called store managers and owners.

“Because of the potential health risks, we immediately contacted the state Department of Health Northwest Regional Drinking Water Office in Kent,” Defty said.

Businesses in the shopping mall reacted quickly.

Pickles Deli owner Kim Bailey adapted to the warning by boiling water for hand washing. She also stopped using water for meals.

“I used milk in my soups and made chili, which doesn’t use water,” Bailey said.

“We weren’t able to serve coffee or soda from the soda machine, but we had bottles of drinks available,” she said.

Another nearby restaurant, Kilchi’s Bagel Bakery, closed its doors Friday and Saturday.

The Red Apple Market remained open but used bottled water.

“As a precautionary measure we used bottled, purified water on our produce,” said Pat Harrington, a supervisor at Red Apple.

“We have a water machine in front of the store where our customers fill their water bottles,” she added. “We immediately began using the bottled water for everything; cooking and washing.”

More tests were conducted Friday morning.

“Results of that second series of tests came back clear,” Defty said.

The source for the e.coli found in the first test is not known, however.

“It could have been a false positive, or there could have been contamination on the faucet,” Defty said.

“We decided to error on side of caution and issue a ‘boil water’ notice immediately after the first test,” he said. “When people’s health is involved, we wanted to keep everyone informed.”

Following the additional tests on Friday morning, King Water heavily chlorinated its reservoir that serves Ken’s Korner.

King Water manages 150 water systems on Whidbey Island and has managed the Ken’s Korner’s system since 1996.

In July 2002, another contaminated sample was discovered during the routine monthly check of the system and was found at one site, an unused outdoor water spigot. Follow-up tests in nine locations including the original spigot all came back negative.