The Wareham Fire District will need to spend an estimated $100,000 to fix a Water Department well that was recently contaminated by  E. coli.

The Water Department's Well #1 was taken offline when E.coli was found in a well water sample on August 1. The water supply was deemed safe when samples from the distribution system were found not to be contaminated.

The source of the E. coli is suspected to be surface water infiltration due to storm water runoff into the Maple Springs Brook, according to a Water Department notice.

The well is one of seven that actively supply drinking water to the department's distribution system.

The department will now institute a corrective action plan that will achieve "4-log" removal, according to the notice. The "4-log" process will ensure that 99.99% of viruses are removed from the water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The estimated cost of the "4-log" response is $100,000, according to the Water Department notice. The well will be kept off-line while the process is completed.

"We will keep Well #1 off-line, continue chlorinating at 0.3 ppm, and take routine samples," the notice reads. "It is important to point out the District’s practice of utilizing 'seasonal' chlorination prevented the contamination from entering the distribution system and avoided a boil water order."

The corrective action plan also includes continuous monitoring of residual chlorine, according to the notice.

The notice added that the Water Department had consulted with the Department of Environmental Protection and its engineering firm "SEA."

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency: "Fecal indicators are microbes whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems.”

These symptoms can also be caused by issues unrelated to drinking water, according to the Water Department notice.

Residents should discuss any concerns with their doctors if they experience any of these symptoms, according to the notice.

General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or online at http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/pathogens.cfm.