Health officials in Colorado believe the salmonella bacteria responsible for contaminating Alamosa’s municipal water supply and making nearly 300 people sick is the same strain found locally in birds, deer and other warm-blooded animals. State officials are investigating whether or not bird or animal droppings might have contaminated the city’s water. The city, located in southern Colorado is flushing its water system with chlorine. People won’t be able to drink the water until high concentrations of the disinfecting chemical washes out of the water system. The initial victim began showing signs of illness on March 7, and health officials became aware of an outbreak a week later. Buying distilled water for personal and pet usage is one way to get around the problem until the water supply is deemed safe.
