"EPA says airline drinking water getting worse"

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

EPA says airline drinking water getting worse
1 in 6 aircraft failed to meet safety standards in latest testing
The Associated Press


WASHINGTON - Drinking water aboard the nation's airliners is getting worse,
not better, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday, even as
officials await the implementation of government sanitation orders.
 
About one in six airliners in the latest round of tests conducted in
November and December had drinking water that failed to meet federal safety
standards, EPA said. Similar tests in August and September showed the water
in one in eight aircraft testing positive for coliform bacteria.

The latest round of testing produced positive results for presence of the
bacteria in 29 of 169 randomly selected passenger aircraft carrying domestic
and international passengers. The tests were done on water from galley water
taps and lavatory faucets on planes at 14 airports throughout the United
States.

The coliform bacteria - usually harmless itself but an indicator of the
possible presence of other harmful organisms - was found in the planes
ranging from small commuter aircraft to jumbo jetsf. None had E. coli
bacteria, which can cause gastrointestinal illness.

"It's an issue that's of concern," said Thomas V. Skinner, acting assistant
administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
"It's not an indication that anyone needs to panic."

Despite the increased rate of aircraft testing positive over a previous
round of testing, Skinner said he "would still maintain that the vast
majority of planes do not come up positive."

He said the government does not plan a third round of tests.

The Air Transport Association, representing the major airlines, said in a
statement that "airline drinking water is as safe as the municipal water
sources that supply it" and that the group was reassured by the fact there
were no positive results for E. coli or other harmful pathogens.

"We believe the most significant finding by the EPA is that there were no
positive tests for any harmful bacteria," said Nancy Young, a lawyer who is
ATA's managing director of environmental programs, whose group also
criticized the EPA's methods of testing.

"Once again, the EPA chose to include samples from aircraft lavatories,
which are essentially public restrooms, where there's a high potential for
cross-contamination of samples," she said. "We're also concerned that many
of the samples came from international carriers that the agency does not
regulate."

EPA's tests last August and September found coliform bacteria on 20 of the
158 randomly selected aircraft. Two planes then also tested positive for E.
coli bacteria, which can produce diarrhea and nausea. About 73,000 cases of
E. coli infection are reported in the United States each year.

EPA advised passengers with compromised immune systems or others concerned
to ask for canned or bottled beverages and refrain from drinking tea or
coffee unless made with bottled water.

Combining the two rounds of testing on 327 aircraft last year, EPA officials
noted that about 15 percent of the planes had been found with coliform
bacteria.

EPA and 12 major airlines agreed in November on a program aimed at improving
sanitation. It included more testing of aircraft. Airliners would be
disinfected within 24 hours if coliform bacteria were discovered, unless the
agency granted an extension because the plane was outside the United States.
Passengers would find signs posted in lavatories and galleys.

Signing agreements with EPA were Alaska Air Group Inc.'s Alaska Airlines,
Aloha Airgroup Inc.'s Aloha Airlines, AMR Corp.'s American Airlines, America
West Holding Corp., ATA Airlines Inc., Continental Airlines Inc., Hawaiian
Airlines, JetBlue Airways Corp., Midwest Airlines, Northwest Airlines Corp.,
UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and U.S. Airways Group Inc..

Two additional airlines, Delta Airlines Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co., are
currently negotiating separate agreements with EPA.


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