A single basement sink with two positive tests for total coliform, also referred to as “TC” in the Cokeville Town Hall has resulted in a boil order for the area. The phrase total coliform includes both e-coli and fecal coliform.

According to Brandon Vierig, Director of Public Works for Cokeville, there has been no other positive tests elsewhere but two positive tests by two different people triggered the boil order.

“We did a retest and took a sample upstream and downstream of Town Hall and took a source sample from a local well and all of those came out clean,” Vierig stated. “But that same sink came up positive again so as a precautionary measure, we have to put that boil order out to our citizens because that sink is connected to our water system.”

Vierig stated that a Tier-2 inspection was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 14, by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure that the water is safe and that there has been no cross-contamination.

In order to to pass, the wayward sink must have three clean samples in three days. A sample from Wednesday June 13 tested clean. The sample from June 14 was still being tested at the time of this story.

Vierig says he is hopeful that the boil order will be lifted as soon as Saturday at noon.

“We take this pretty seriously,” he said. “But the chances of anyone getting sick are very rare.”