By Zoila Palma: Last year, the Ministry of Health and Wellness expressed their concern about water safety at the Kolbe Foundation prison.
During that inspection, health officials assessed water sources at the prison and determined that only the water provided by Belize Water Services is safe for human consumption.
The well water that is used for meal preparation and bathing was found to have harmful biological contaminants, including fecal coliform.
Principal Health Inspector John Bodden explained to 7News Belize that the Ministry does not recommend this water as being safe for use.
“The well water that was actually tested positive of fecal coliform and so with that we would not recommend that this would be water safe for use, and in terms of the chemicals there were many of them that were altered limits and so we were recommending that the water is not good for consumption which is we were reminded that this water is from the well and this is used for only hygienic purposes which is basically for flushing the toilets, washing and bathing and so,” Bodden explained.
“We had not much concerns about the well water initially because it was just for bathing, not withstanding that we still had a bit of caution expressed on the well water because of the high nitrous citrate it creates some level of irritation to the skin. So after that we had made some recommendations for them that there is adherence to the use of the water which we are totally in agreement with the BWS water should be for drinking and that is done for the inmates, staff and hospital and cooking with the exception of when they do the pre wash for vegetables which they use the well water,” he added.
Prison officials have since indicated that following the report, water rations from BWS were increased so that inmates use for drinking, bathing and washing clothes.
The post Health officials concerned following discovery of fecal coliform in well-water at Kolbe Prison appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Last year, the Ministry of Health and Wellness expressed their concern about water safety at the Kolbe Foundation prison. During that inspection, health officials assessed water sources at the prison and determined that only the water provided by Belize Water Services is safe for human consumption. The well water that is used
The post Health officials concerned following discovery of fecal coliform in well-water at Kolbe Prison appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
