Qackamas Community College
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] •rint
Vol. XVIII, No. 8
Wednesday, November 21,^1984
EPA rules water safe to drink
Health hazard could happen again
By Fritz Wenzel
Of The Print
Nine days after Clackamas Com
munity College’s water was found to
contain high levels of potentially-
dangerous bacteria, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) lifted a boil
water advisory on Monday, Nov. 19.
Sixteen tests taken over the last three
days indicated the bacteria fecal col
iform, which comes specifically from
the intestines of warm-blooded
animals, was no longer present in the
system.
“The disinfection system broke
down, and when that happens, there is
nothing standing between you and the
watershed,” EPA environmental
engineer Ron Culver said. “There is
the potential of any number of bacteria
to be present in the water. The- two
most common health problems would
be Giardia and Hepatitis,” he added.
“If fecal coliform was found in the
water, then you could have run-off
from a riverbank as well as from a cat
tlefield,” Dan Lundy, the College’s in
structor in the water quality technology
said.
Lundy explained that fecal coliform
itself is harmless, but its presence in the
water indicated there could be other
bacteria present that could cause pro
blems.
The contamination problem began
when recent hard rains caused soil
from the riverbanks to wash down into
the Clackamas River and into the water
system, Culver said. Due to an
overabundance of particles in the
water, a condition known as turbidity,
the chlorination system was neutraliz
ed, he said.
“Testing done Nov. 9 indicated
there was a total coliform bacteria pre
sent in the water,” Culver said, “so we
issued the boil water advisory early
that afternoon.” The College was first
made aware of the problem on a
widespread basis by the issuance of a
memo to all staff members dated Nov.
13. All water fountains were shut off at
that time.
IN THE TRENCHES-
Construction workers
Win Dememge (front)
and Harold Walz prepare
foundation for pouring
of cement on Barlow Hall
addition construction
site. Contracted for
$700,000, the new addi
tion is expected to be
completed sometime in
April.
Photo by Joel Miller
Lundy explained a total coliform
situation indicates there could be
harmful bacteria present. The next
step, then, is to test for fecal coliform,
which would indicate a possible serious
health threat exists. Total coliform
bacteria comes from both plants and
animals, while fecal coliform comes
specifically from warm-blooded
animals.
The College, along with Oregon City
Fire Station 2 and Prince of Life
Lutheran Church, receives its water
from a 68-year-old steel pipe system
known as the mountain line. The line is
16 inches in diameter and runs 27 miles
from the south fork of the Clackamas
(Continued on page six)
Scholarship honors
President Hakanson
Clackamas Community
College’s Board of Education
members unanimously voted
to establish a full-year music
scholarship in hpnor of Col
lege President John Hakanson
at a special meeting held Nov.
14.
The John W. Hakanson
scholarship will be awarded
annually to an outstanding
music student. Criteria for the
scholarship will be determined
by Music Department
representatives and the student
financial aid officer.
Hakanson was honored
with a music scholarship
because of his long-time in
terest in the subject. Both
Hakanson and his wife Helen
sing in the Lutheran Choral
Association, and Helen
Hakanson participates in local
old-time fiddle groups.
The scholarship was
originally to be funded by in
vesting an initial amount of
$6,000 through the College’s
Foundation, with the interest
accrued to be used for the
award. The College’s attorney
determined, however, that
Oregon statutes prevent the
College from making a gift of
money to the Foundation in
perpetuity, so the Board voted
to rescind the previous action
and seek other funding.