City testing reservoirs weekly after parasite detected during monthly testing last month
BALTIMORE - Multiple water samples taken from a Baltimore City reservoir in recent weeks have come back clean following a positive result for a parasite in September.
A sample taken Sept. 19 at Druid Lake Reservoir showed a trace amount of cryptosporidium, a parasite that can be harmful to immunocompromised people.
Officials have said the small size of the parasite detected will make it difficult to determine the exact cause.
The open-air nature of the Druid Lake and Ashburton reservoirs makes them vulnerable, which is why projects to cover the water supply have been underway for years.
"Those two reservoirs, as we've known for the last several years, they're open to elements. They're open to the environment, right? So, anything could have gotten into the system," Interim DPW Director Richard Luna said Wednesday at City Hall.
Luna said the projects to close the water supplies should be completed by the end of the year. Delays have marred the projects for years.
Mayor Brandon Scott cited the pandemic and supply chain issues as reasons for delays.
Monthly testing is required at the reservoirs, per an EPA order. September's positive result was the first such positive result since the city started monthly testing in July.
At the council committee hearing Wednesday, council members pressed DPW and city officials on the messaging following the positive test.
"This was largely a communication issue," Councilwoman Danielle McCray said.
A Boil Water Advisory was not issued. Bottled water was distributed to limited populations, like senior centers.
"The levels detected were very low. We did not see an uptick in hospital cases to drive the level of response," City Administrator Faith Leach said.
The city's testing vendor is located in Vermont, which led to a weeklong delay in getting results. Since then, the city started weekly testing with expedited results.
"We have worked with the lab and they are able to expedite the results of tests," Leach said.
