WaStop aids in the prevention of outbreaks of E. coli in potable water

The problem

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015 it was discovered that drinking water in Everöd, Southern Sweden seemed to be polluted. The municipality immediately warned recipients to boil drinking water.

The probable cause was thought to be contaminated stormwater that had seeped into the water treatment plant in Everöd leading to contamination of the potable water.

The afternoon of September 1 saw the end of the boiling recommendation. The households in Everöd, Eastern Sönnarslöv and Huaröd had, at that stage, boiled their drinking water for 71 days.

The leading theory regarding the cause of the contamination was that a broken sewer line leaked into the storm water system. Heavy rain during midsummer weekend led to rainwater penetrating a conduit to a reservoir at Everöds waterworks and contaminated the drinking water. Other potential contamination points were also identified and remedied.

The changing climate conditions lead to more intensive rainfall events occurring more regularly which cause more flooding in both rivers and sewers. This wasn't accounted for when the waterworks were designed.