Testing confirms Vance water is safe to drink

  • Published
  • By Capt. Timothy A. Brathwaite
  • Chief, Bioenvironmental Engineering
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  During a routine collection of on base drinking water samples in early August, the Vance Bioenvironmental Engineering team found a sample that falsely tested positive for total coliform bacteria.

Follow-up testing at a laboratory in Stillwater, Okla., determined that no coliform bacteria or disease causing organisms are present in the base drinking water supply, confirming that Vance drinking water continues to be safe to drink.
 
Under the "Total Coliform Rule" of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, community water systems are required to provide a public notice to the consuming public under certain conditions. The false positive test is one of those conditions.

Coliform bacteria are a class of rod-shaped bacteria found essentially everywhere; in the soil, lakes, streams and rivers. The bacteria generally do not cause disease. 

The EPA uses the presence of coliform bacteria as an indicator to detect the possible presence of other disease causing organisms, as well as any treatment or distribution problem. 

The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality requires Vance to collect four samples every month. To ensure high water quality standards for the Vance population, BE collects five samples twice a month. This is 150 percent over the regulatory standard requirements. 

The Enid water system utilizes groundwater aquifers consisting of several water well fields located within a close radius of Enid. Water supplies are mixed, treated and monitored prior to distribution to Enid and Vance communities.

Vance's BE routinely monitors water purchased from the City of Enid, checking various components in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency regulatory requirements. 

BE collects samples, which are representative of water quality throughout the base distribution system, according to a state approved water sampling plan. 

These samples are sent to Accurate Laboratories in Stillwater for analysis. All test results are turned into ODEQ for review and tracking in a water system database.

A copy of the entire public notice is available here or by contacting the BE office by phone, 580 213-7241, or by mail, 71 MDOS/SGOQB, 320 Young Rd., Suite 124, Vance AFB, OK 73705.