Norovirus still found in Nokia city water despite chlorination

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The water crisis in the city of Nokia is set to continue for a few weeks to come, in spite of an intense chlorination effort aimed at ridding the municipal water of intestinal bacteria and viruses that contaminated the system in late November when treated sewage leaked into the city's water supply.
     Samples taken in the Koskenmäki area after the flash chlorination effort revealed the continued presence of norovirus.
     A total of seven water samples were taken in the area. More findings are expected on Wednesday.
      Environmental health chief Outi Lepistö says that the positive test was a disappointment, but that it did not come as a surprise.
     "The chlorination succeeded well, and households ran enough water from their taps. This shows how resilient norovirus is."
     
According to Lepistö, no decisions are being made in Nokia about what to do next until the last of the samples have been analysed.
     It will still be two to four weeks before the results concerning the adenovirus are ready, restrictions on the use of water are to remain in force for several weeks.
      Ilkka Miettinen, special researcher at the National Public Health Institute, says that alongside intense chlorination, other possible ways of dealing with the contaminants include using hydrogen peroxide.
     
The Ahvenvaara family, with five children, worked busily in the kitchen of the home. The father, Jaakko Ahvenvaara, prepares food, while his wife Johanna Ahvenvaara packs the family's best clothing into suitcases. Soon the family is travelling to Haukipudas for a wedding.
     Two-year-old Lilja is still asleep in the bedroom, and the family's youngest, who is just three months old, is looking at he world from a baby seat, blissfully unaware of the water problems.
     "I expected this", Johanna Ahvenvaara says. She was not surprised that the virus was found even after the chlorination effort.
     "Naturally, this is frustrating and infuriating, but man is an adaptive animal. We're getting use to this."
     
Carrying drinking water and taking the children to relatives living in nearby Tampere for a shower are already a matter of routine.
     The heavily chlorinated water can dry the skin, and children might accidentally swallow it.
     Four-year-old Aliisa, six-year-old Helmi and eight-year-old Paavo disinfect their hands whenever they come in from outside, without even being asked to. They will not use tap water even to rinse their toothbrushes.
     The Ahvenvaaras say that families with children have become very cautious. If a child shows the even slightest stomach symptoms, parents give very careful consideration to whether or not to let the child go to day care.
     
There is also great caution in household cleaning. The Ahvenvaara home smells very clean, because the clothes that they are drying give off a mild smell of chlorine.
     While residents are urged not to drink the water or bathe in it, it can be used for washing the dishes and laundry.


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

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