Shower Restrictions Lifted For Alameda Point Residents

ALAMEDA, CA — Preliminary test samples of the water system at Alameda Point have comeback negative and city officials Thursday night said residents can safely bathe and shower with the water. City officials on Tuesday issued a health alert for the Alameda Point area, where a U.S. Navy base was located for many years, after the East Bay Municipal Utility District found evidence of non-drinkable water in the drinking water system there.

Although the city said residents can now have bodily contact with the water, they are still being urged to avoid drinking and cooking with tap water. Additionally, before using the water to shower, residents should
flush their water fixtures for at least 10 minutes.

The partial lift of the health alert comes after city and EBMUD officials determined that the bacteria found was caused by an irrigation well that most likely came into contact with a potable drinking water line.
EBMUD crews then flushed the system with water followed by more testing, which came back negative.

Although it's now safe to shower with the water, city officials said residents still have the option of taking a 10-minute portable shower at the Alameda Fire Department Training Facility, located at 431 Stardust Place.
Additionally, affected residents and businesses can pick up free bottled water for drinking at the Alameda Point Collaborative, located at 677 W. Ranger Ave.

City officials said 268 residents and more than 60 businesses are affected by the health alert and each has been notified. Water in the other parts of Alameda has not been affected, city officials said. Among the many areas that aren't affected are U.S. Coast Guard housing, Bayport, Summer House Apartments, and Atlantic Apartments. EBMUD officials said the Alameda Point system receives water from the EBMUD water distribution system at select service points and the system is isolated from the EBMUD water system.

By Bay City News

Photo via Shutterstock