Shaiyann Palmore
Since the clearance of the boiled water advisory in West Baltimore, residents have continued to question the safety of the water and Mayor Brandon Scott’s plans for the future.
On Sep. 9, Mayor Scott officially lifted the Boiled Water Advisory. The Department of Public Works continues to monitor the water in the affected areas.
“I am pleased to know that DPW has found no further evidence of contaminated water and that our residents who were in the impacted area can now rest assured that their water is safe to use,” said Mayor Scott in a press release.
This news pleased residents, but they were still concerned about the source of the contamination and what preventative measures will be taken in the future. Monica Lewis, Director of Communications, declined to comment on the mayor’s plans.
“I will say that Mayor Scott and his administration are committed to ensuring that the people of Baltimore know we always strive to do what’s best for the people who live and work here. We are presently assessing the incident and prepared to identify any areas that have room for enhancements,” she said.
On Sep. 5, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works issued a Boiled Water Advisory upon discovering strands of E. coli and coliform in the water. The residents were initially notified through the council’s Twitter account, which caused some dissatisfaction in the community.
Although the Department of Public Works claimed to notify residents as soon as they identified the presence of bacteria, the information would not be helpful to residents already exposed.
“E.coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes…DPW is working to find the source of contamination, remediate the problem, and is flushing the system continuously to introduce turnover into the system.” said the Department of Public Works in a press release.
The affected neighborhoods included Harlem Park and Sandtown-Winchester. Other facilities bordering the West Baltimore areas, Riggs Avenue to West Franklin Street, Carey Street to Pulaski Street, and Bolton Hill, were also affected. Total Health Care medical centers and Avenue Market are among the facilities that had to close due to the contamination temporarily.