Water supplied to Wareham Fire District residents has been deemed safe after E. Coli was found in a sample of one of the water wells, according to a Wareham Fire District Water Department press release.

A water sample taken on August 1 from Well #1 (1G) was found contaminated with the fecal matter.

The Water Department consulted with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and will keep chlorinating the water, not use the offending well, and continue to do routine sampling of the Water Department's distribution system, according to the press release.

There is no need to boil water or take other precautionary measures at this time.

Water delivered to Water Department consumers through the distribution system is disinfected with chlorine to kill viruses and bacteria, including E.coli, according to the press release.

Water samples taken from the distribution system on August 1 did not find any fecal matter contamination.

The notice does not apply to persons using private drinking water wells, the press release stated.

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

The department continues to maintain chlorine levels throughout its system and monitor for the presence of fecal contaminants in the sources and distribution system to ensure the safety of the water supply.

The distribution system is undergoing repeat testing and evaluation to determine if the current level of treatment is adequate or if additional corrective actions are necessary, according to the press release.

The Water Department is in contact with Department of Environmental Protection officials during this process and they will evaluate the effectiveness of the steps taken and determine if any further action is required.

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 press release.

If residents experience any of these symptoms and they persist, or, if they have specific health concerns, they may want to discuss such concerns with their doctors, the press release stated.

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 www.water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/pathogens.cfm.