Coli bacteria in the drinking water of Potsdam

Coli bacteria detected in the drinking water of Potsdam

07/14/2011

The health authorities said that dangerous coliform bacteria were detected in Potsdam's drinking water. For the time being, the citizens in Potsdam should refrain from drinking tap water, appeals to a spokesman for the city of Potsdam.

In the potable water network of the city of Potsdam dangerous colic bacteria were detected for the health. The bacteria were discovered in a water sample of buildings in the district Babelsberg, as the authorities said. For this reason, the citizens of the city should avoid drinking drinking water from the tap. This applies in particular to residents of the areas between Rudolf-Breitscheidt-Straße, Plantagenstraße, Behringstraße and the Karl-Marx-Straße. For the time being, citizens are being asked not to drink tap water. In order to use the water for the preparation of food and drink, the water should boil for at least 3 minutes. Also the water for brushing your teeth should go through this procedure. Alternatively, it is advisable to buy water from the supermarket.

Some citizens are now wondering if the bacterium is the EHEC germ. But that closes the medical officer of the municipal health department, Dr. med. med. Ronny Möckel out. It was „absolutely excluded that it is the EHEC pathogen“, said the doctor. The contamination could not have come about because of human fecal matter. "The problem is a problem of the pipes and not the water itself."

Most likely, there could already be an all-clear on Saturday, the doctor said „Radio RTL“. In any case, you can until then „concretize the risk situation“. On Thursday night, the waterworks had begun to flush out the bacteria with rinsing measures. The pipes are rinsed, since it is assumed that the bacteria have settled there.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) Bacteria are germs that occur in animals and humans in the intestine. Certain strains of E. coli bacteria are the cause of diarrhea and intestinal inflammation. First symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea. (Sb)

Image: Sebastian Karkus