The city of Fort Myers is admitting it did not follow retesting protocols after samples showed high amounts of coliform bacteria in its water supply last November.
The city published a legal notice, admitting the staff did not retest for the bacteria by the end of December, as it should have.
The city said it believed the November samples were flawed and did not take further action. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection objected and told the city to retest, which it did last month. All nine samples came back negative for coliform bacteria.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, coliform bacteria usually is harmless, but high amounts can indicate the presence of e. coli, which comes from fecal material and can cause serious illness.
In the legal notice, Fort Myers advised people who are pregnant or with compromised immune systems to consult their doctors if they have any concerns about drinking city water.
Some city representatives said they weren't aware of the issue until receiving a notification letter.
"I just opened my mail and saw the letter. I didn't know about this," Councilwoman Teresa Watkins Brown said, adding she asked Fort Myers Public Utilities director Richard Moulton to respond to media inquiries about the issue.
The city said there were no reports of anyone getting sick from drinking the water.
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