The Daily Campus

This is nothing new in this area. A few years ago the same thing happened at Carriage. Here's the DC article from 2005:

E-coli Found In Carriage Water Supply

By: Elena Gaudino

Posted: 11/10/05

A notice was sent to Carriage House Apartment residents on Oct. 31, stating that traces of the bacterium Escherichia coli, commonly known as E-coli, have been found in the drinking water supply of the complex.

The letter stated that since the water is unsafe to ingest residents should steer clear of using the water for cooking purposes or for oral hygiene until further notice. The water is safe for bathing purposes, however.

The notice stated that management would contact students by the end of last week with an update. However, Jason Kaczynski, a 5th-semester resource economics major and resident of Carriage House Apartments, said he hasn't heard anything else about the water supply situation, but has seen septic trucks coming in and out of Carriage Drive on a regular basis ever since the announcement was sent to the residents.

Kaczynski said he believes the problem stems from septic tanks located behind each building of Carriage House, and the possibility that they haven't been properly maintained.

"The E-coli is probably from the septic system," Kaczynski said. "I guess they haven't cleaned it out in a while."

Maxwell Benoit, a 7th-semester communication processes major, said he and his roommate had just finished drinking two mugs of ice water when management handed his roommate a slip that informed them that the water supply was infected with E-coli and that the water wouldn't be safe until management sends out another notice giving the clear to ingest the water. Benoit said that at first management told them to purchase water, promising to reimburse the residents, but then told the residents that there would be no reimbursement.

"They said to go out and buy water and give them a copy of the receipt and they'd reimburse us." Benoit said. "Now they just informed my roommate that they are not going to reimburse me."

According to Kaczynski, the dilemma inconvenienced the residents inconvenience when it comes to every day activities. Not only did he say that everyone has to purchase bottled water for drinking purposes, Kaczynski said that he's had to adapt to some changes, including spending more money to eat out since they can't use the water to cook with, and having to brush his teeth at Celeron Square Apartments. Even though he has had to experience these inconveniences, he said he is not too concerned.

"I've had this happen before in my hometown," Kaczynski said. "It's annoying, but it shouldn't take more than a week to fix."

Though this comes as a shock to many UConn students, according to Andrew Lescoe, a 7th-semester management major and former resident of Carriage House Apartments, this comes as no surprise. Lescoe said that he, as well as other residents, were warned last year of bacteria contamination in the water via laminated flyers posted by the mailboxes. The flyers, Lescoe said, stated that after testing done by the EPA, the water tested positive for a certain type of bacteria that caused minor health issues and that the water supply would be undergoing a chlorination treatment.

Though he never experienced any health-related issues due to the water supply during his residence at the apartment complex and stated that the only problem was the water tasting chlorinated for a day or two, he has heard of people this year who live at Carriage House experiencing illness due to the water supply. Lescoe said that last year's management didn't show much concern over resident safety.

"They actually hung [the notices] on the mailboxes," Lescoe said. "They didn't actually make any effort to tell anyone that lived there. I saw it checking the mail and just took it because I couldn't believe it."

E-coli, according to the official CDC web site, can be found in intestines of healthy animals and human. The bacteria isn't harmful itself, but the toxins that it produces, are. It's commonly spread through infected uncooked meat, salami, unpasteurized milk, and swimming in or ingesting sewage-contaminated water. Some of the symptoms of infection are severe bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps and little or no fever. Most recover without antibiotics within five to ten days without any long-term effects.