Spring

Spring

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animals, and is considered by the Health Department asprima facie evidence that a water source is contaminated by surface water.

The probable cause of the coliform, according to Mr. Shepherd, is a wild animal defecating on the ground above the spring, contaminating surface water which eventually flows into the spring’s underground source.

Mr. Shepherd and Regional Health Director Dr. Malcolm Tenney both said that further tests to the water are pointless, since a test done one day may be negative, but one done the next day may return a positive.

Mr. Shepherd said that the test which produced the coliform contamination was done some years ago, but that the records had been lost when the Rappahannock County Health Department moved to its new quarters.

That answer was not good enough for Robert Judd, a propertyowner in Page County, who contracted with Environmental Systems Service Ltd. of Culpeper, a private water-testing firm certified by the Commonwealth.

That test, done May 21 on two of the three outlets at the then-open spring, produced no indication of coliform bacteria contamination. Both samples, according to the report received by Mr. Judd and made available to the Rappahannock News, stated, “This water sample has passed the minimum potable water test requirements as established by the Health Department.”

The samples, according to the ESS report, “were collected using general field sampling guidelines for bacteriological sampling.” The analysis, the report continued, were performed under procedures outlined in the “Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater.”

Based on the samples, Mr. Judd requested that Dr. C.M.G. Buttery, the State Health Commissioner, noYour

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