Dirty fire camp water dumped into drinking supply

JACKSONVILLE, Ore. (AP) – Kitchen and shower water from a wildfire camp in southern Oregon was pumped into the drinking water supply of a park because of an error by a volunteer.

The Mail Tribune reports Wednesday that a volunteer host at Cantrall-Buckley Park in Jacksonville accidentally told the driver of a tanker truck holding so-called “gray water” from the fire camp to pump his load into the park’s potable water tank.

The water should have gone into an artificial wetland used to filter dirty water.

The mistake on July 18 was discovered Monday and the park immediately shut off access to the contaminated water.

Jackson County public health officials say the park’s water has since tested positive for E. coli and coliform bacteria.

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Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/