Oak Bluffs On Defense

After several days of undrinkable water, Oak Bluffs is going on the defensive. While happy to be receiving free drinking water, residents are furious about a perceived lack of notice of the original boil water order. The town has released a time line of events for your perusal.

CHAIN OF EVENTS (BOIL WATER ORDER): 

The Oak Bluffs Water District is mandated by Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to take water samples and test for harmful bacteria or chemicals every month. All Massachusetts water departments are required to test on a three year cycles.  The DEP dictates exactly how many samples to take monthly and by quarter. Each year we sample for bacteria, fluoride, SOC’s, Nitrates, Perchlor, inorganics, arsenic, PCE’s, secondaries, VOC’s, radiums 226 & 228, gross alpha particle activity, lead, and copper. 

22 September , 2009: 

We took the first set of 25 samples.  Ten of those samples were from the five wells; five from the finish tap and five from the raw waters straight from the aquifer.   Fifteen samples were taken from the distribution system. These samples were taken by a certified operator, packed with ice, sealed and flown to Hyannis where Envirotech Labs picked them up, brought them to the lab, and started their sampling process. This process normally takes up to 36 hours, although the presence of coliform may show sooner. 

23 September, 2009:

The second set of fifteen distribution system samples were taken. These were collected by a certified operator, packed in ice, sealed and flown to Hyannis where Envirotech Labs picked up. 

24 September, 2009:

At 6 a.m. there was a message on answering machine at the Water District offices from Envirotech Labs asking us to call them as soon as they opened. Our office called Envirotech Labs and received the notification that the 22 Sept 2009 samples showed signs of total coliform bacteria (non e-coli and non fecal coliform).   At 10:00 a.m. on Thursday morning the Oak Bluffs Water District started immediate upstream and downstream sample taking of the affected areas as indicated by Envirotech Labs. Due to the unusual amount of positive coliforms we also started chlorination and flushing. Massachusetts DEP was called and notified of the coliform and the immediate actions the Oak Bluffs Water District was taking. We followed our procedures by notifying persons sensitive to sodium hypochlorite, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, the Oak Bluffs School and Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. We continued to monitor the system. 

25 September, 2009:

Envirotech Labs notified us that the samples taken 23 September, 2009 were showing signs of total coliform (non e-coli and non fecal coliform). Once notified, we called Massachusetts DEP.  They requested that the lab results be faxed to them. Since the lab results were not final it took sometime before DEP could make a decision on the matter. When DEP received the official results their staff went into conference, telling us that they would make a decision on the matter and get back to us.  

25 Sept. 2009 4:15pm:

Mass DEP initiated a “Boil Water Order” by phone with written notice to follow. The Oak Bluffs Water District responded rapidly and placed calls to organizations highlighted by Massachusetts DEP. These calls were followed up with a fax of the actual “Boil Water Notice.” 

ORDER OF PRIORITY CALLS:

POLICE (4:20PM)

FIRE (4:21PM)

BOARD OF HEALTH (4:22PM)

WMVY (4:23PM)

HOSPITAL TWICE (4:25PM/4:58PM)

MVTV (4:30PM)

PLUM TV ( 4:32PM) 

FAXES SENT THAT NIGHT TO MV TIMES, VINEYARD GAZETTE, ISLAND ELDERLY HOUSING.

THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER WAS CALLED LATER AND FAXED A NOTICE. 

Massachusetts DEP was to notify its Boston office. 

26 September, 2009 8:00am:

Notices were made and handed out downtown, posters were also posted on bull boards, most store owners were handed notices by Water Department employees or Water Commissioners, and the Oak Bluffs Police notified people. The Cape Cod Times was notified, and the Oak Bluffs Library also put our notice on its web site. Water Department personnel have been covering the Department phones since Saturday morning trying to answer as many calls as possible in person.