Friday, February 23, 2001

By Jon R. Anderson
Heidelberg bureau

HEIDELBERG, Germany — Military and local German officials say tap water around Heidelberg and Mannheim is safe to drink again.

German health officials had detected a dangerous bacteria at the regional waterworks in Rheinau on Monday, but after pumping chlorine into the water over the past few days, they announced the problem was cleared up.

"The city has indicated that it was not able to find the precise cause and so as a precautionary measure will continue to chlorinate the water for approximately another two weeks," said Sieg Heppner, an Army spokesman for 293rd Base Support Group based in Mannheim.

Heppner said those who live and work on the various military communities in the area were not affected by the contamination, because the Army already provides chlorination treatment in all of its facilities.

"That does not protect the people who live off base," Heppner said.

The Army had warned those living in local civilian communities to boil tap water after officials found the coliform bacteria. While similar to the deadly E. coli, it is much more mild.

In fact, the worst thing most people hit by coliform bacteria suffer from is a bad case of diarrhea.

The bacteria are typically found in rural area water wells where farmers have sprayed their crops.

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