Don't drink the water untreated reservoir water that is
'Never, ever, ever let dogs drink standing water'
Staff reporter
"The water is safe to drink" was the resounding response Monday afternoon from city water treatment operators in the county.
Treated city water in Hillsboro, Marion, and Peabody is safe to drink but officials are warning residents and visitors to not let pets or people drink untreated water from Marion Reservoir.
Three dogs died this past weekend from a bacteria that is "consistent with blue-green algae" that, at times, has been prevalent at the reservoir.
Marion County Sheriff Lee Becker said his department also is investigating the dog deaths.
Veterinarian Jessica Lauren of Animal Health Center of Marion County reported to Marion County Commission Monday that four dogs were brought to her office this past weekend with some sort of bacterial infection after ingesting water from the reservoir, specifically between French Creek Cove and Durham Cove.
Three of the four dogs died, Lauren said.
The dogs died from internal bleeding which is consistent with exposure to an algae bloom, Lauren said.
The local veterinarian said the first dog was tested for parvo. That test came back negative.
When county sanitarian Bobbi Strait, county health administrator Diedre Serene, and park ranger Neil Whitaker surveyed the area Sunday, there was no indication of an algae bloom. However, it was noted that there was not much movement in the water Friday and Saturday but a breeze on Sunday could have changed the algae concentration.
Water samples were taken Sunday and sent to a lab in Nebraska, Strait said.
On Monday, Kansas Department of Health and Environment official Rick Brunetti met with Terry Holt, park ranger, to survey the area. Brunetti collected additional samples.
Brunetti was contacted in his Salina office Tuesday afternoon and said water samples will be delivered Wednesday to Topeka. Tests will determine the type of microorganisms that are present.
On Thursday, a necropsy will be performed on one of the deceased dogs.
"Hopefully those results will shed some additional light on exactly what it was that killed the dog," Brunetti said, whether it was a water quality problem or something else.
Holt said the real question is "What peculiar set of circumstances occurred that caused these animal deaths?"
"People need to remember that this is raw, untreated water," Holt said. "Any time it is ingested it may cause illness."
Signs have been posted at the reservoir, warning visitors of the potential risk of coming in contact with an algae bloom.
Holt said he has not observed any unusual animal mortality. Algae blooms also have not been observed.
"We had a small bloom on July 4," Holt said. "Signs were posted but that outbreak was not as large as previous ones."
The results of those water samples may not be available for several days.
Strait emphasized Monday afternoon that the dogs may not have died from the algae but some other bacteria in the water.
"The water was only two inches deep and was stagnant," Strait said. "There could be a lot of different things growing in there."
She continued that KDHE wanted to run more tests on the deceased dogs to determine a specific cause of death.
The first two dogs that became sick belonged to the same out-of-town owner. One of the dogs lived, the other did not.
The second pair that became sick and were treated by Lauren were owned by two different people who were at the reservoir together, in the same area, and within a mile radius of the first two dogs.
Those two dogs and their owners were from Marion County, and both dogs succumbed.
"The dogs had to have ingested the water," Lauren said, rather than just being in the water.
"It's a very low risk to humans," Strait said, "because dogs drink at the water's edge which could have a more concentrated bacteria level. Humans don't drink the water or swim in a two-inch deep area where the bacteria is more concentrated."
Because county and park officials did not see any evidence of a bloom, such as odor or discoloration, the shoreline areas were not closed at the reservoir. Strait was quick to note that if deemed necessary, those areas would be closed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Algae
The first time residents and officials were put on alert regarding blue-green algae was June 2003.
Consumers first learned that blue-green algae could be harmful when the bloom dies which makes it toxic. Visitors to the reservoir had noted discoloration in their animals' coats after being in the green-tinted water but were told by officials that the water was harmless and to keep pets from ingesting the water.
At one point, the concentration of the algae became so severe that certain areas of the reservoir were closed because of the potential hazard to the health of humans and domestic animals.
It was believed at that time that large amounts of the tainted water would have to be ingested for it to become harmful to man or beast.
The cities of Marion and Hillsboro, with Hillsboro distributing water to Peabody, have continued to use the reservoir as their primary water source.
The water is 'safe'
City officials were contacted Monday afternoon, regarding the latest water crisis.
For Hillsboro water treatment plant operator Dan Mount, changes were made at his plant July 3 because of noticeable changes in the water.
When the changes were noted, additional carbon was fed into the water to help take care of taste and odor.
"I did that before I even knew we had an algae problem," Mount said.
Mount explained that the carbon absorbs toxins in the water. In the clarifying process, the carbon "drops out and takes the toxins with it."
"Our water is totally safe because we were already doing what KDHE had suggested," Hillsboro Mayor Delores Dalke said.
Marty Fredrickson of the City of Marion, assured residents that the water is safe.
"We have increased the powder-activated carbon (at the city's water treatment plant)," Fredrickson said.
He continued that he went out to the reservoir Sunday afternoon to see for himself if there was an active algae bloom in the area where the dogs drank the water and did not see any indication of blue-green algae.
The City of Peabody, which purchases its water from Hillsboro, has been advised of the steps being taken by the staff at the Hillsboro water plant.
Darren Pickens, director of Peabody public works department said he was not aware of any problems.
"The City of Hillsboro started feeding carbon into the system about a week ago," he said.
Peabody City Administrator Jeff Benbrook said no water advisories have been issued and is confident that state and local officials will issue directives if necessary.
The cities and county await word from KDHE regarding the test results and if there is an algae bloom or some other culprit.
Precautions
Safety precautions are recommended anytime pets and people are in a body of water, Strait said.
Shower after swimming, boating, skiing, or wading in the water. Always use soap and clean water after coming in contact with lake water, and before consuming food or drink.
Never drink from the lake. Never wash items in the lake that small children may put in their mouths.
Make sure pets have current vaccinations.
Take fresh water on outings for pets to drink. Monitor the pet's whereabouts at all times.
Never let pets drink from stagnant ponds or puddles. Always wash pets and checks for ticks after spending time at the lake.,
