Municipal water use restrictions finally lifted in city of Nokia

Many residents still hesitant about drinking chlorinated tap water

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People were still queueing up at the drinking water distribution centre in a blue tent in the city of Nokia on Monday, even though residents have been given the all-clear for using tap water again.
     Many residents are nevertheless cautious about going back to drinking tap water after the city's water supply was contaminated by treated sewage, which leaked into the system in late November.
     "In the past couple of days I have used the water for rinsing my teeth, but I have not yet dared to drink it. The stomach disease is still such a recent memory", says Asko Piirainen.
     
The water use restrictions were lifted in Piirainen's neighbourhood already on Wednesday last week. However, his family has decided to continue to get water for cooking and drinking from the distribution point for another week.
     "Let's see for a while what happens to our neighbours who drink tap water."
     Piirainen calculates that during the water crisis he has carried home about 500 litres of drinking water from the distribution centre.
     
In addition to caution over possible remaining bacterial contaminants, the chlorine used to rid the system of the microbes that contaminated it leaves an unpleasant after-taste.
     The odour of the chlorine is also noticeable, although it is not as strong as in chlorinated swimming pools.
     Environmental health director Outi Lepistö says that the chlorine content of Nokia's municipal water will remain at about 2.5 milligrams per litre. After that, the chlorine is to be gradually reduced.
     Nokia water normally has less than 0,5 mg. of chlorine per litre, but Lepistö is not sure when that goal will be reached.
     Although it may taste strange, Lepistö insists that the chlorinated water is considered safe to drink, as long as the chlorine content is below 5 mg. per litre.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Investigation underway into deaths possibly linked to tainted Nokia city water (19.12.2007)
  Nokia water crisis eases (10.12.2007)
  Contaminated water crisis continues in Nokia (7.12.2007)
  A thousand Nokia residents believed to have had symptoms after consuming contaminated drinking water (3.12.2007)
  Norovirus still found in Nokia city water despite chlorination (28.1.2008)
  Intense chlorination of Nokia city water underway (17.1.2008)

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