The restrooms and water fountain at Annie's Playground in Fallston went back in service Thursday morning after being out of commission for several weeks when a routine test found bacteria in the well that provides water to the facilities.
The Harford County Department of Parks and Recreation brought in two portable toilets and a hand washing station, as a temporary measure while the well was being chlorinated.
Parks and Recreation completed chlorinating the well and delivery system to kill the bacteria and then flushed the system to remove the chlorine, a county government spokesperson said.
Although the water must be retested, there is no threat to public health, both the county and the Health Department stressed, so the facilities could be safely reopened for public use.
General coliform bacteria was found in water from the restroom facility, which is at the end of Smith Lane in Edgeley Grove Park, after it was tested on May 21 and again on May 26, according to the Health Department.
The first test found total coliform bacteria in one sample, while bacteria was also found in one of four additional samples taken on the second date, said John Resline, program manager for transient and non-community water systems with the Health Department.
"The standard is that no more than one sample per month may test positive for total coliform bacteria," according to a notice the county was required to post on the affected facilities following the testing.
While Resline said the county was required to post a notice of the test findings, the shutting off of the water and taking the restrooms out of service was strictly voluntary.
"Parks and Recreation did that on their own accord," he said.
The Health Department notice was posted on the four doors to the restrooms and yellow caution tape was also affixed to them. The water fountain at the head of the Ma & Pa Trail also was shut off, and the notice was taped to it.
Resline said total coliform is an indication there potentially could be other more harmful bacteria present, such as fecal coliform or E. coli, but he also emphasized the two tests in May found neither.
"Total coliform bacteria by itself isn't a disease causing pathogen," Resline said, "however, people with compromised immune systems might want to do something else," in terms of washing or drinking affected water.
Treating the well supplying the rest rooms and the delivery system with chlorine should have killed the bacteria, Resline said. After treatment, the well and pipes and other parts of the delivery system are flushed to remove the chlorine, and then the facilities are retested by the Health Department.
"This system will collect a total of six samples sometime this month," he explained. "All six samples will be collected on the same day. If these samples are good, the notice will be allowed to be removed, and the water system will return to routine quarterly sampling for the quarter that begins on July 1st."
County government spokesperson Cindy Mumby confirmed that Parks & Recreation decided to take the bathrooms and water fountain out of service while it chlorinated the well and the delivery system.
With the cleaning process completed, the water was turned back on, she said.
"Because we were not required to close the facilities in the first place, they have been reopened," Mumby said.
She added that Parks and Recreation is working with the Health Department to schedule the necessary follow-up inspections.