<p>Owners of two up-Island restaurants said they were complying with state regulations following a bad water test that led to their closure late last week.</p> <p>The state department of environmental protection ordered the drinking water shut off at the Chilmark Tavern and State Road Restaurant after total coliform bacteria and E. coli bacteria were found in routine water samples from the restaurants.
Owners of two up-Island restaurants said they were complying with state regulations following a bad water test that led to their closure late last week.
The state department of environmental protection ordered the drinking water shut off at the Chilmark Tavern and State Road Restaurant after total coliform bacteria and E. coli bacteria were found in routine water samples from the restaurants. Two samples taken from each restaurant on Sept. 30 tested positive for bacteria, however a third sample taken on Oct. 2 tested negative.
The groundwater samples were done by a private certified water tester, which are taken weekly. The samples were sent to a laboratory in Barnstable. Gongmin Lei, laboratory director for the Barnstable County Water Quality Laboratory, confirmed that the first two samples tested positive for the bacteria but a third test came back negative for both bacteria.
The restaurants closed on Oct. 3 and a chlorine flushing occurred on Saturday. Two days of clean tests are required in order for the water to be turned back on. New tests are expected back Tuesday afternoon.
In a joint statement, owners of both restaurants said they believed that the bad test was an error. The full statement from Jackson and Mary Kenworth of State Road and Jenna Petersiel of the Chilmark Tavern appears below:
“We are in the middle of — but close to the end of — what is almost certainly a mistake regarding the quality of the water at our restaurants.
Unfortunately, two samples taken last week from outside spigots at our two restaurants came back invalid or failing. When that happens, restaurants are immediately — and properly — closed down by the state. However, when a third test was done of four inside faucets at both restaurants, all the results were clear.
Nonetheless, the first two tests triggered the state closing and required us to chlorinate our wells and flush our systems. We must now wait for the results of tests following the mandated treatment before the state will allow us to reopen. We should know the results by Tuesday afternoon.
We have been told by several water professionals that it is most likely human error somewhere in the testing process that resulted in the failed tests.”
Comments
There's no more perfect
Caroline New YorkThere's no more perfect example of how intrusive our government is than reading this article. Just look at the layers of involvement. The state has no more serious things to do than test water at local establishments???? I come from the school of thought that it is the responsibility of the restaurant owner to manage his/her own water. I'm appalled too that the state could shut down these restaurants BEFORE it the water was evaluated.
I remember not too long ago reading in the Gazette that this same state EPA closed some stream or pond in Tisbury. These employees are working despite the government shutdown? I suggest they be permanently retired. Waste of state resources. Waste of time for the owners.
Certainly we should leave it
Ken Esq Edgartown, MACertainly we should leave it up to businesses to check their water supply. I'm sure they'll do it right after someone gets ill or dies...or just file for bankruptcy. Should we stop all inspections of environmental and food products as well? What's a little salmonella in your peanut butter or cholera from the water? Ensuring the safety of the food and water supply is a good example of what the government should be doing.
If you call what your state
Caroline New YorkIf you call what your state EPA did in wrongly diagnosing the water at the restaurants and the water at the pond a few months ago "a good example of what the government should be doing", well, quite frankly, you are wrong. Government has its eyes and ears on everything today, you can barely breathe without their two cents or a regulation. It's certainly not now or ever MY idea of a good example whatsoever.
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