E. coli bacteria in Blackman Eddy’s water
On Tuesday, villagers from the Cayo District found out that they had been drinking contaminated water for weeks. The people of Blackman Eddy began noticing severe cases of skin rashes in their children since September, but never believed the cause was the water. Earlier this week, the unsuspecting residents were shocked to learn that the water in the village reservoir had tested positive for E. coli bacteria. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods has the details.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Residents of Ontario and Blackman Eddy villages in the Cayo District have been receiving a constant supply of water from this reservoir. On Tuesday night, things came to an abrupt halt when the main water supply was turned off. Residents had no idea that the water they had drinking for weeks was contaminated.
Shirlene Mai, Mother
“I use to drink, bathe, cook and whatever, because that’s the only that we get water from. We don’t have no other way which we can get water.”
Shirlene Mai uses the water to mix her baby’s bottle. She became concerned when ten-month-old Tyrique Mai started having rashes. Mai says she did not know what was wrong until a doctor gave her a disturbing report on the child’s condition.
Shirlene Mai
“I noticed it and showed my mom and she said it was chicken pox. We kept treating it for chicken pox and when I took him to the doctor in Belmopan, they told me that it was from the water.”
Mai says other children in the village started experiencing the same problems and soon the reports reached the Ministry of Rural Development. A team was sent to the area where it conducted a test and confirmed that indeed the water was contaminated. The samples tested positive for E. coli, a bacteria carried in animal faeces.
But how could such waste end up in the village’s main water supply? The water system is managed by a village water board that should have been treating the water with chlorine. News 5 understands that the problem began under the management of the former water board that simply stopped treating the water and never bothered to tell the residents.
Randolph Reymundo, Former Member, Water Board
“This morning, the chairman told me that the water is contaminated.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Were you aware that the water was not being treated?”
Randolph Reymundo
“Yeah, for about two weeks, due to the fact that the previous water board had two weeks left and they had some problem and called elections. So they say they ain’t gonna buy any chlorine until after the elections. And the day for elections people didn’t show up, so it went on for another week. That’s the reason why they didn’t have any chlorine.”
Jacqueline Woods
“You were on the previous water board, why is it that nobody bothered to inform the villagers that there was a problem, that this water was not being treated and therefore there is a strong possibility it could be contaminated.”
Randolph Reymundo
“Well, like I said, they had to call an early election before the two weeks to make a date for the election and people didn’t come out, so they didn’t know exactly what was going on.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So they didn’t bother if they were putting people’s health at risk?”
Randolph Reymundo
“No, because they had two more weeks to do their job.”
Last Friday, a new water board was elected. Steven Swasey, the village chairman, and a board member, says the previous board had about six thousand dollars to clean the system, but took no steps to keep the water safe.
Steven Swasey, Village Chairman
“If we have to spend even the last drop of money to fix the place and get the water healthy we are going to do that. The last water board was bragging that they were saving a lot of money and this and that. I don’t see what’s the use of saving money if you are not getting clean water.”
Today, the water board has embarked on an intensive cleanup. The board has bought a bucket of chlorine and other goods to maintain the reservoir.
Steven Swasey
“I don’t think it is fair for people to be paying their water bill and then they are getting contaminated water. I myself am kind of fortunate because I don’t drink the water, I drink purified water, but we use it to bathe with and stuff like that.”
Jacqueline Woods
“But there are many more residents who use the water for drinking purposes.”
Steven Swasey
“Definitely. If you notice, you could just go to the Belize River and you can’t even drink that water. Right now it’s brown, and everyday until January next year it’s won’t change colour. Some people have wells in their yard, but not everybody, probably only about three of four families. We have the Hispanic community a little more up behind there, there’s no way for them to get water, so right now I don’t know what they are doing for water. But we will have this washed out today.”
Swasey says before they turn back on the water they will get someone from the Health Department to test the water before villagers can have access to the supply. It is hoped that by Thursday, villagers will be receiving water from the reservoir. Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
According to medical professionals, E. coli bacteria causes abdominal cramping, nausea and diarrhoea, but rashes has never been one of its symptoms. The doctor we spoke to says it is possible that other viruses or chemicals present in water are responsible for the skin rashes.
