Boiled Water Advisory in G'ville...

..has some citizens' blood boiling.

Last Thursday, JB called me from his office and said "DO NOT USE THE TAP WATER". Well, we don't use it very much anyway because it has a brown tint to it, almost like really weak tea. I know, sounds gross, but other than the color is supposed to be safe to drink. Anyway, he had received an official flier from the MsDept. of Health that G'ville would be under a boiled water advisory the next 6 DAYS! due to traces of e coli being found in the water system.

Just lovely. In response, I didn't bathe nor did I bathe the boys Thursday night or Friday. We were already coming to Madison on Friday as the beginning of our vacation travels. I decided it would be better to stink than infected with e coli before or during our vacation to the beach.

I really hate it for my G'ville friends. I remember being inconvenienced by this type of situation when Katrina hit our area only... it wasn't for e coli. It makes for somewhat primitive times especially when there becomes a shortage of bottled water at the grocery stores. And not to mention, it hurts the local economy when restaurants have to close or limit their menu.

It is my understanding that the reason it is 6 days is b/c:

"The boilerplate release by the MsDH is two day. Unfortunately, we received notice this afternoon (Thursday). We have to draw 50 samples from our regular sample points throughout the city each day for two consecutive days. We cannot do that today and tomorrow. Their lab doesn't run on Saturdays and won't be opened on Monday. So we will have to pull our ... Read Moresamples on Tuesday and Wednesday and will hopefully get cleared from boil water order on late Thursday. "

I personally I think it's wrong to make a city wait this long for clean water. I think it's absurd that they don't open the lab for such a time as this. You are talking about public health safety and sometimes that means working over time and on holidays. I dare say that this wouldn't happen in other cities in MS. If I am wrong, than shame on MS.

Fortunate for us, we will be on vacation at the beach during most of this. I just hope that G'ville doesn't endure for the 6 long days it will be, only to endure it even more if the samples come back contaminated.

Until next time, I'll have my feet in the sand,
HB