It's an H2O thing

Published March 15, 2014
By Senior Airman Desiree W. Moye
386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Hand washing, swimming laps, doing laundry, taking a shower - all of these activities have one thing in common; the water used is monitored by Airmen from the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group bioenvironmental engineering section.

"Water sampling is performed to ensure safety for all personnel, and that our water quality is good, whether it is for direct consumption by drinking or hygiene usage such as showering," said Staff Sgt. Jason Walton, 386th EMDG Bioenvironmental Engineering noncommissioned officer in charge. "I also test the ice used at the (DFAC) and the water in the swimming pool."

Walton is entrusted with validating the water, ensuring it meets regulation for intended use. The bottled water is safe for consumption. The distribution system is cleared for incidental use such as brushing teeth or showering.

"My first step in validating the water quality is collecting a small sample and measuring its pH level with a pH meter. The pH test measures the acidity or alkalinity in the water," said Walton. "The second test involves measuring free-available-chlorine to ensure that it is present in the water with a color comparator."

The last part of the routine water test is a bacteriological test. This involves collecting 100 milliliters of water into a container that is preloaded with sodium thiosulfate.

The water samples are mixed with an industrial analysis agent that detects coliforms and E. coli simultaneously within 24 hours in an incubation chamber at 35 degrees Celsius to further cultivate potential growth of bacteria.

"If there is any E. Coli bacterium in the sample, it will turn a fluorescent yellow when viewed under a black light," he said.

Random sites are tested here weekly, totaling 32 sites monthly. Water testing is also performed at eight additional locations outside "The Rock," checking for heavy metal content and other elements. All samples are sent to Public Health Command in Germany for complete analysis.

Attention to detail is vital to ensure there is no threat of contaminants prior to releasing the water to the base and routine water inspections are imperative since conditions can change at any time according to Walton.

Guaranteeing the quality of water is up to standard for over 2,000 Airmen is an achievement for Walton because he knows the destructive consequences of water contamination.

Recreation water illnesses include a wide variety of infections including gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections. According to the Center for Disease Control, in the past two decades, there has been a substantial increase in the number of RWI outbreaks associated with swimming and other activities.

"Food and water are some of the most important resources we have on the installation and the easiest way for multiple people to get sick quickly, but we tend to take it for granted that it's clean," Walton said. "Bio is here to ensure that no one on base has to think twice about whether the water is safe to use."