WESTERN BUREAU:
THE RECENT health threat which faced hundreds of residents in Trelawny is now history as the three polluted National Water Commission sources, which were deemed as sources of potential danger, have been given the all-clear by health authorities.
"The last tests that we carried out on the water sources in May have shown that we no longer have to worry that the three sources are a threat to the health of residents," said Dr. Maung T. Aung, medical officer of health for Trelawny.
In April, Dr. Maung T. Aung warned that residents in sections of Trelawny faced the risk of contracting gastro-enteritis because the entombed springs, which supplied Ulster Spring, Freeman's Hall and Allsides, had shown 'unacceptable levels of bacterial contamination'. He also pointed out that repeated tests by his organisation had also revealed strong levels of bacterial pollution in the Dornoch Water System, which is sourced from a river.
POLLUTED WATER
At that time, Dr. Aung expressed alarm that residents were unknowingly drinking the polluted water, although samples collected for the three previous months had shown that the three water sources were endangering their health.
However, in explaining the change in the status of the water situation, Dr. Aung told The Gleaner in a recent interview that his perspective on the situation was now much different. According to him, "Things have changed for the better. We no longer have to worry that the three water sources are a threat to the residents."
The contamination problem in Trelawny was a source of controversy between the health authorities and the National Water Commission (NWC) as while the Dr. Aung was insisting that there was a problem, Mark Barnett, the NWC Area Manager for Trelawny and St. James, said checks by his organisation over the prescribed period had not shown up the bacterial contamination which the public health department had charged was affecting the systems.
Despite the differing views, Mr. Barnett, said the NWC did institute precautionary measure by increasing the dosages of chlorine in the water supply to Ulster Spring/Freeman's Hall, Dornoch and Allsides.
