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TO <br />FROM: <br />DATE: <br />RE: <br />�nfun of AnshVer <br />BOARD OF HEALTH <br />16 GREAT NECK ROAD NORTH <br />MASHPEE, MA 02649 <br />(508) 539-1418 <br />BOARD OFSELECTMEN <br />Fr N PU F <br />k } <br />JM 2 6 EW <br />BOARD OFF HEALTH - ELAS A. MCQUAID <br />UL 1923 <br />POSTING JOHN'S POND <br />As you know I have been testing John's Pond every two <br />weeks during the swimming ing season for VOCII .(possibly emanat- <br />ing from the Base and for total and fecal col iform which <br />would be indicative of human axed/or animal waste, So far no <br />VCC's have been detected and the coliform counts were below <br />the limits set by the EPA. <br />Fast week, however, the Board of Health received a let- <br />ter copy attached from Dr.William Schutten of Falmouth <br />who reported that he had recently treated four patients for <br />severe eye infections. All indicated they had swum in John's <br />Pond two days prior to diagnosis. Upon conferring with the <br />Barnstable Health Dept* senior environmentalist, George eu- <br />felder, it was decided to have the Pond tested for Strepto- <br />coccus and Pseudomonas bacteria. Results received late Sat- <br />urday indicated ndicated elevated counts of bath bacteria. <br />seudc Onas ranged from 9ppb - 30 parts per billion and <br />tree from 670ppb - I90ppb. Since ponds are not usually <br />tested for these bacteria, it is so far impossible to com- <br />pare these results with other ponds nor with John's Pond in <br />the past, After careful consideration the Board decided it <br />would be most prudent to post warning sign at the John's <br />Pond beaches, Stetson Hall, Director of the Barnstable Coun- <br />ty Health Dept* agrees. Warning sign attached e <br />1t was further decided that 1 should r'esample today. <br />Barnstable County will be receiving surface water samples <br />from other Cape ponds and will run the bacteria tests on <br />those for us to compare other ponds to John's. Those results <br />should be available in two days at which time we will either <br />remove the signs based on the new and comparable results r <br />keep the pond posted and continue sampling every few days. <br />It is important to note that this possible bacterial <br />problem is not related to septic system failure nor t the <br />chemical plumes emanating from the base* <br />