Breaking

9-Year-Old Boy Dies After Being Shot in Head in Croixville Housing Community; Police Detain 15-Year-Old

Concerned Residents Clean Christiansted Town Using Their Own Tools, Money, and Some Help from the VI Fire Service

Territory May See Veterans Cemetery Through DeGazon-Sponsored Bill

Credit and Debit Cards of WAPA Customers Were Compromised Since August 30th, WAPA Says, Authority to Finally Start Issuing Notification Via Mail and Email

Sports Tourism in VI Gains Momentum as DC United Team is set to Play Exhibition Soccer Game on St. Croix

Carnival Breeze Brings 3,700 Tourists to St. Croix During Maiden Call; Senators, Tourism Officials Want to See More

Limetree Bay Willing To Provide $10 Million To Help Add Life to a Dying G.E.R.S.

American Airlines to Serve St. Croix With New Flights Next Summer

The Sudden Death of Influential Roots Reggae Visionary, Vaughn Benjamin of Midnite Band and Akae Beka, Has Rocked the Virgin Islands and Reggae Community Around the World

Arthur A. Richards K-8 School Hosts Anti-Bullying Campaign

Come Out. Hang Out. Have Fun at The Meat Up, One of St. Thomas’ Latest Hot-Spot for Good Food with Friends and Family.

UVI Board of Trustees Approves $47.1 Million Fiscal Year 2020 Budget; Sets $3 Million Fundraising Goal

Man Dies During Early Morning Car Accident on St. Croix; Driver of Car Arrested (Updated)

'You Did Everything You Could to Prevent this from Happening': An Emotional Goodbye to Young Aaron Benjamin

Back in Business: Cost U Less on St. Thomas Opened its Doors Friday to Thousands of Customers 2 Years after Irma and Maria

Bill Aimed at Regulating Credit Use by Gov't Departments and Agencies Among Others Held in Committee

Juan Luis Hospital Announces Completion and Availability of Mobile Dialysis Facilities

Tractor Trailer With Tank Carrying Thousands Of Gallons of Liquified Gas Flips Near Cool Out Bar; Driver Injured But Alive

Credit and Debit Card Hack Through WAPA Appears to be Widespread in Virgin Islands; WAPA Says Support Services Will be Made Available to Affected Customers

Facing Life in Prison Without Parole, Mother and Boyfriend Plead Not Guilty in Murder of 4-Year-Old Boy

VI Department of Health and CDC Study Finds High Risk of Waterborne Illness From Cistern Water

Breaking News / Featured / Health / News / Top Stories / Virgin Islands / October 9, 2019

Nine of 10 houses in the Virgin Islands rely on cistern water as the main residential water supply, a study conducted by the Virgin Islands Department of Health (VIDOH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

Eighty percent of water samples taken directly from those cisterns tested positive for E. coli contamination. And more than half of samples of the kitchen tap water – water sourced by cisterns and drawn through kitchen faucets – tested positive for E. Coli, as well, according to the study. 

In July and August of this year, the health department, supported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other local partners, visited 400 households across St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John to study the water quality of household cisterns to better understand potential risks of waterborne illnesses.

The findings: 

  • Ninety percent (90%) of houses in the territory rely on rainwater collected in catchment systems such as cisterns as the main residential water supply.
  • Eighty percent (80%) of cistern water taken directly from the cistern hatch tested positive for E.coli.
  • Fifty-eight percent (58%) of tap water taken from kitchen taps tested  positive for E.coli contamination.

E.coli – or Escherichia coli – are bacteria found in the environment, foods, and intestines of people and animals. Most strains of the bacteria are harmless, but others can make you sick. Some kinds of E.coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses, according to the CDC.

“… Water contaminated with E.coli should not be used for consumption; which includes drinking, cooking or brushing teeth. Furthermore, properly maintained water treatment systems, like those with multi-stage filters and/ or ultraviolet (UV) light, can provide water that is safe for consumption,” said a D.O.H. written statement regarding the water study.

Past D.O.H. studies found that 18% of Virgin Islands’ households drink their cistern water directly. The department is working with the CDC to identify additional recommendations for homeowners to improve cistern water quality based on data from the study.

During and after storms or emergencies, cistern water may not be safe to drink.

The Dept. of Health advised that when safe water is questionable, use bottled water for drinking, cooking, and brushing teeth. If you do not have bottled water in an emergency situation, boil for more than 1 minute or disinfect your cistern water a gallon or less at a time. Use 1/8 teaspoon bleach each gallon of cistern water.






Robert Moore




Previous Post

Michaelrose Ravalier Named STTJ 2020 District Teacher of the Year

Next Post

84-Year-Old Man Who Was Attacked By 5 Pit Bulls Is Still In Puerto Rico Under Intensive Care While Dogs' Owner Is At Large; Family Starts GoFundMe For Specialized Airlift To John Hopkins In Maryland



Leave a Reply


More Story

Michaelrose Ravalier Named STTJ 2020 District Teacher of the Year

ST. THOMAS -- Michaelrose Ravalier was named the St. Thomas-St. John District’s 2020 District Teacher of the Year at an October...

October 9, 2019