Both Marshall Islands Fishing Venture and Pan Pacific Foods showed the water used in their fish processing plants was clean and met RMI Environmental Protection Authority water quality standards during routine testing in June.
The June EPA Water Quality Report, provided to the Journal this week, showed:
- EPA lab testing of multiple water sources at both PPF and MIFV showed they had no contamination and were safe.
- Testing of Majuro hospital’s dialysis unit showed the water used for the service had zero contamination.
- Woja Elementary and Laura Elementary water stations showed all met EPA she water standards. One of two water stations at Ajeltake Elementary showed contamination, which EPA said was immediately fixed and a re-test three days later confirmed the water station met EPA clean water standards.
RMI EPA explained its collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which with a US grant, funded the installation of the water stations at the three schools.
“At the request of the IOM, the EPA collaborated in conducting routine bacteriological monitoring of drinking water stations installed at schools from Ajeltake to Laura,” said EPA’s June report. “Sampling results indicated that all school drinking water stations complied with RMI EPA drinking water quality standards, except for Ajeltake Public Elementary School Station 2, which tested positive for bacteriological contamination.
“The test results were communicated to IOM, and immediate corrective measures were undertaken. These included replacing the station’s water filter and disinfecting the storage tanks using a chlorine (Clorox bleach) solution as a precautionary measure following recent rainfall, which may have contributed to contamination. Follow-up sampling was conducted on June 19 and no Total coliforms or E. coli were present.”