Water at Phantom Ranch in Grand Canyon National Park that had shown to carry e.Coli bacteria late last month is once again safe to drink and cook with and the boil water advisory that had been issued has been lifted, a park release said Wednesday.
Testing has confirmed that water meets all Safe Drinking Water Act regulations, the release said.
The boil water advisory had been issued as a precautionary measure after a loss of water pressure was detected on August 25 in the Transcanyon Waterline distribution system.
Bacterial contamination can occur when increased run-off enters the drinking water source (for example, following heavy rains). It can also happen due to a break in the distribution system (pipes) or a failure in the water treatment process.
Fecal coliforms and E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, and people with severely compromised immune systems.