Once again, a faecal bacterium makes drinking water in Gelderland undrinkable this year. Last Friday, drinking water company Vitens advised seventeen places in the province to boil tap water for at least three minutes before use. This advice applies at least until October 14.
1 How did this happen?
Vitens does not yet know how the drinking water in Apeldoorn and the surrounding area became contaminated with Escherichia coli (E.coli). This bacteria is commonly called ‘the poop bacteria’ because it occurs naturally in the intestines of people and animals.
The drinking water company will start on Tuesday by checking the inside of the storage cellars in which almost three million liters of water can be stored. This week four of these cellars will be inspected and cleaned. On Monday the exterior was checked for cracks, among other things.
In May and June of this year, the water in other parts of Gelderland was also undrinkable. Last month, Vitens concluded that these infections were caused by technical defects and damage to treatment plants. A company spokesperson said against that the Gelderlander: “The groundwater that Vitens pumps for drinking water is at a considerable depth. The soil normally filters many pollutants from the water. Due to the technical defects and the higher groundwater levels, it cannot be ruled out that the surface water also ended up in drinking water.”
2 What are the practical consequences?
The Apeldoorn branch of Gelre Hospitals uses approximately 170,000 liters of water per day, so the hospital now has two large water reservoirs continuously replenished by ‘water bags’. “A kind of air cushions when you see them,” says a spokesperson. The hospital does not want to take any risks for vulnerable patients and caregivers and therefore does not use drinking water to shower patients. They can wash themselves with special washcloths without water.
The care in the hospital remains the same. Outpatient clinics and operations continue as usual. But birthing pools are no longer used. “If a woman is looking forward to that and it is not possible, it is a disappointment. But there is understanding,” said the spokesperson. “You don’t want a patient or newborn baby to be at risk in any way.”
The hospital does not want to take any risks for vulnerable patients and caregivers and does not use drinking water to shower patients
The Aventus secondary vocational school in Apeldoorn also had a large water tank supplied with “26,000 liters of drinking water”. The school posted a photo of this Instagram. “For our students and teachers,” the caption stated.
Talma Borgh nursing home in Apeldoorn, with 64 residents in the building and 25 in sheltered housing, bought extra bottles of water and boils it in the kitchen. “These are extra expenses and it is extra work. We have placed other coffee machines where we have to add water ourselves. And we bring water to our clients in sheltered housing,” says a spokesperson. “You have to: people have to drink enough.”
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3 Why is it recommended to boil the water for so long?
The bacteria die at seventy degrees Celsius, so according to Vitens it is sufficient to boil the water for three minutes and there is no need to buy bottles of mineral water. Many residents did so this weekend, which led to chaos and empty shelves in supermarkets.
The inspection of the storage cellars must be done very accurately, according to Vitens. They are very large, so checking the inside and outside takes several days. In the meantime, specialists continue to take samples and test the drinking water quality.
4 Is the Dutch drinking water quality at risk?
The Netherlands is known for its high quality drinking water. Water companies measure the quality at tap points throughout the Netherlands every day. If cooking advice is provided, this is usually only for a limited number of households.
But, Gertjan Medema said in August NRCin response to contaminated drinking water in Brabant: “drinking water must be safe, so on the one hand the system has failed.” Medema is principal researcher in microbiology at KWR, the research institute of the Dutch drinking water companies. “On the other hand, thanks to the daily checks, the bacteria were found and the warning system therefore worked well.”
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