Letter to W W Burr, Subject: Additional Information on the Coliform Levels in the Bikini Cistern Waters.

Page 1

Department o f Biomedical and Envi ronmental Research This letter provides some additional information pertinent t o the TWX I recently sent o u t informing you of the coliform levels i n the Bikini cistern waters. During o u r recent Bikini trip, Charles Fraley, working for Bob BudA sufficient number of blanks were run so I Two days before departing Bikini, we demeier, analyzed our groundwater samples for coliform content by the membrane filter technique. am confident the data i s good. used the remai ning s teri1i zed containers t o determi ne col i form i n the water from 2 cisterns on Bikini Island. concentrations in the water, a t the school and building8 cisterns, which exceeded 25 colonies/100 m l (see tables attached for all results).In addition, one of the two existing cisterns on Enyu was sampled and found t o be highly contaminated as was the groundwater a t the old Bikini well a probable small number o f colonies. We were very surprised t o find The groundwater on Enyu shows anywhere from n o contamination t o I have attached copies of pertinent paragraphs from the Water Quality Standards regarding coliform levels in drinking water. of the table o f data and the standards shows that the maximum acceptable microbiological levels are greatly exceeded a t Bikini. I can only suggest a few possibilities to account f o r the contamination. The cisterns were constructed several years ago a n d are covered with a and all of the cisterns have drain openings. Rats could easily enter the cistern through these openings. Itis possible that one or more rats have died i n the cisterns while seeking water during dry seasons. Bird, rat o r pig droppings which find their way t o the roofs ( I may be stretching ita bitto consider pig droppings) could wash into the cisterns with the water during rain storms. Whatever the reason, contarninatim i s evident and the There are large separations between the caps and the cisterns

Page 2

trust territory health officials should be informed of these preliminary results. More important, some purification system, easy to use, should be considered for the water systems. Something should be done about the existing cisterns and open wells and some thought m i g h t be given t o the design of future cisterns planned for the residential housing on Enyu. I asked the district representative a t Bikini i f many of the people suffered from dysentery. that he inform the population t o boil the drinking water before use until a more rigorous inspection o f the water supply could be made. tainers t o conduct more sampling. He told me that many people did and I recommended Unfortunately we were both out of time and suitable sterilized conRoger Ray indicated he would inform Oscar DeBrum of our results and recommend t o the health officials that a more detailed investigation of the microbiological contamination of the water supplies should be conducted i n the immediate future. Environmental Sciences Division Mr. Roger Ray, NVOO

Page 3

COLIFORM CONTENT IN WATER SAMPLE School Cistern Sample 2 and 3 (duplicates) clean background plate - 0 colonies previously used to 100 ml water supply during 3 samples shawed greater t h a n 100 definite colonies/ 1975) no definite indication o f colonies Mess Hall South ground water well expected) Sample 1 - 12-14 definite colonies (contamination #2 - 5-6 probable but identification difficult #3 - no definite indication of colonies area when used 2-3 families now use this no large colonies but3 plates covered with 25-30 tiny dark, red droplets (identification unknown)

Page 4

taminant levels for pesticides: § 141.14 Rlnxinium contaminntit levcl The maximum contaminant level of tuxbidity in the drinking water at a repbution system is one turbidity unit (TU), as determined pursuant to 5 141.22, e x - ccpt tlint avo or fcwer turbidity units may bo allowed If tlic auppllcr of wrtkr can demonstrate to the State that the higher turbidity does not: (b) Prevent qin ten ance of a n effective disinfectant agent throughout the distribution system; and (c) Interfere with microbiological mor0 samples arc examined per month. ploys thc feimcntntion tube method and 100 milliliter standard portlons pursua n t to 9 141.21h) coliforms shall not be present In more than G O pcrcent of the portions in any month; and either (A) Five or more portions in more than one sample when less than five samples are cxamincd; or (B) Five or mor0 portions in more than 20 percent of the samplcs when five samples or more arc examined. (b) The supplier of water shall provide water in which there shall be no greater than 500 organisms per one milliliter as dctcrmlnod by the standard bactcrial platc count provided in rinc nicnsirrcmcnt for torn1 coliform (a) The supplier of Sater may, with the npproval of the State, substitute the use of chlorine residual monitoring for not more than 75 percent of the samples required to be taken by 9 141.21(b),provided that the supplier of watcr takes chlorlne rcsidunl samples a t points which are representativc of the conditions within the distribution system a t thc frequency of a t lcast four for cach substituted microbiological sample. There shall be at least daily determinations of chlorine residual. Measurcmcnts shall be made in accordance with "Standard tlati provldcd in this paragrwh ( a ) , he shall maintain no less than 0.2 mg/l free chlorine in the public wnter distribution (b) For public water systems scrving 4900 or fewer pcrsons. the supplier may, with the approvnI of the State, make a total substitutio~iof chlorine rcsidual mcasurcmcnt for the samplcs rcqiiired to be taken by 5 141.21(b): Proriitlcd, That the supplier of water taker, chlorinr? residual samples at points which arc reprcscntativc of the conditions within the distrlbutioii system a t tlie rnte of one per day for each microbio1or:icd sample required to be 'taken per month undcr 5 141.21 3lirrril~inln~iciil r rir it i irn iri : inl coliform density mcasurcments. for tils purposo of tictrrminir8r:coiiip1i;trice xith cal rccommcnriations set forth in "St.andnrd Methods lor the Examination litcr sample size shall bc employcd in samples shall he taken at, points ivhich arc reprc:icntT.tivc of the conditions within thc clistribution system. ( b ) The supplier of water shall take coliform density samples a t regular Intervals throughout the month, and in number proportionate to the population served by the public water system. I n no event shall the frequency be less than as set forth below: Minimum number o ] PopuLntion served: samples per month

Page 5

(c) (1) When the coliform colonies in a single standard sample exceed four per samples shall be collected and examtned from the same sampling point until the results obtained from at least two consccutive samples sliom less than one coli- (2) When organisms of the collform group occur in thrce or more 10 nil portions of a single standard sample be collected and examined from the same sampling point until the results obtaincd from a t least two consecutive samples show no positive tubes. (3) When organisms of the coliform group occur in all five of the 100 ml portions of a single standard sample be collected and examined from the same sampling point until the results obtained from a t least two consecutive samples show no positive tubcs. ( 4 ) The location at which the check sample vas taken pursuant to paramust not be eliminated from future sampling because of a history of questionable water quality. Check snrnplcs shall not be Included In calculatitia tlie total number of samples taken each month to determine compliance with § 141.15. wilh tlic rcqrlil-crncnts of 9 141.16, watcr frmi that locntion shall be xctcsted is connrmcd. the State shall be notiIicd n s prescribcd in .5 141.31. Also, if thc lion-coniplinncc is confirmed. a sainplc for coliforin analysis must bo immctliatcly c,ollectcd from that sampling mint and the results of such analysls rcwrtcd (&) Standard bnctcria plate count sninplcs shnll be nnnlyzcd In nccordnncc “Standard Mctliods for the Examination Public Imlth Association, 13111 Edition, shall be cornplctcd within two yews iol13) Armlyses for public v;atcr systcms whcther supplied by surface or ryriiiix! six ycars following the cfrcctivc date of this subpart. These analyscs shall be rc- ( b ) If the supplier of water determines or has bcen informcd by the State that t.hc Icvel of a n y conhrninnnt IF. 75 Ti?,-- cent or more of the maximum contaminant lcvcl, hc shall analyze for the nant at leasst oncc pcr inonth follrixii~: thc initial analysis or information. If, period of a t lcast one ycnr. the supplier pose of platc cou,lt sllall ~ 0 1 - of water demonstrates to the satisfaction of c o n ~ i ~ i o n swithill tile distribution sys- taminant is stable and duc to n nalural at a frequeIlcy at lcnst cqunl to 10, condition of the water sourcc. he m a y rcpercent of thc frcqucllcy for z n - . ducc the frequcncy of ana!ysis for that nlysis dircckd in DaraG?aph (b) of contaminant consistent with the requiret h a t at mcnt.~ of parawaph ( a ) of this scction. (a) Samples shall be takcn a t a representative entry point(s) to the water distribution system at lcast once Per day tat lcast once pcr month for supplies using water obtained from underground sources) for the purpose of making turbidity mcasurcmcnts to dctcrmine ment shall be made in accordance with the rccommendatiolls set forth in “Standard Methods for the Examination of Watcr and Wastewater,” American Public Health Association, 13th Edition, (b) In the evcnt that such mcasurement inciicatcs that the maximum allowable limit has becn excecdcd, the Sampling and measurcment shall be repeated within one hour. The results of the two measurements shall be averaged. and if the average confirms that thc maximum allowable limit has been exceeded, this nvcragc shall be rcportcd as dirccted 111 6 141.31. If thc monthly xvc~ageof all samples exceeds the maximum allowable limit, this fact shall be reported as di- (c) The requirenicnts of this 5 141.22 shall not npply to public water systems other than communlty water systcms which use water obtained from under- ( d ) When a particular sampling point has been confirmed, by tlic first check sample examined as directed in para - . tion, to be in non-compliance with the maxlmum contaminnnt levcls set forth in fc 141.15. the supplier of water shall notify the Stale as prescribed in 5 141.31. (e) When the maximum contaminant levels set forth in pan graphs (a) (1) or (2) of 0 141.15 are exceeded QS contlrmed 5 141.23 Inorpnic chemical sampling stances for thc purpose of clctcrmirung compliaiicc with 5 141.111 sh:\Il be comutilizing surface watcr sources witliin one year followinl: the cffcctivc date of thls subpart. This nnalysis shall be re- (2) An analysis for eornmuntly wnter by check samples tnken pursuant to paror has been informcd by thc State that the level of any contaminant listed in g 141.11 excceds the maximwn contaminant level for the substancc, hc shall confirm such determination or information by repeating the analysis within 24 hours following the initial analysis or information, and then a t least a t weekly intervals during the pcriod of time the maximum contaminant levcl :or tnat substance has bccn exceeded. or until a monitoring xhcdule as a condition to a variancc, exemption or cnforcement action shall become effective. T h e results oi such rcpctitive testing shall be averaged and rclmrtcd as prescribed in paragraph ( d ) To judge the compliance of a public water system with the maximum contaminant levels listed in 6141.11, averages of data shall be used and shall be rounded to the same number of significant figures as the maximum contaminant level for thc substancc in question. Each average shall be calculated on a past 12-month moving averzgc basis if less than twclvc saml)lcs per ycnr are analyzed. and on a past three month moving average basis i f t\velw or inore samples Der year are nnslyzcd. In cases where the maximum contaminant level has been exceeded in any one sample, the average concentration shall be calcubasis and reported pursuant LO E 141.31. If the mean of t.he samples comprising the one month moving average exceeds the maximum contaminant lcvel, the supplier of water shall give public notice pursuaift to fi 141.32(a). eonilillaiice with tlic ninsiniiiiii con: a m - nant lcvel for nitrate shnll IIC dct.crniincd on the basis of iniiivi~1i;nln nalym rather than by nvcrngcs. Wiicn a lcvcl exceeding the ninsiinum contaniii:n.nt level for nitrate is found, the nnnlyscs shall be repented within 24 hours. nnd if the mean of.the two nnalyses exceeds the FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 40, NO. 51--IRlDAY, MARCH 14, 1975 .