BOY SCOUT CAMP NOT DISTURBED BY BOIL WATER ORDER

SILVA -- A boiled water order issued Wednesday won't keep area Boy Scouts from enjoying their visit to Camp Lewallen this summer.

The Department of Natural Resources issued the order after a routine test of well water revealed high levels of bacteria in drinking water.

Shawnee Council executive director Tom Turpin said the problem stemmed from a new chlorinator that was not adjusted correctly when it was placed in the well. However, the problem has been corrected and the boiled water order is only a precautionary measure, he said.

None of the more than 300 scouts and troop leaders have shown signs of illness while attending the camp, which is located south of Fredericktown on U.S. Highway 67 about 50 miles west of Cape Girardeau.

"It's basically one of those camp things that's certainly not routine but it's not uncommon," said Turpin. "We've got several doctors camping from Cape and Poplar Bluff and everyone understands what's going on."

Supplemental water brought from other sources was available in the first 24 hours of the boiled water order for food preparation and drinking, he said. In addition, help from Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, resulted in the arrival of four 500-gallon water tanks furnished by National Guard units from Poplar Bluff Thursday morning.

"I told them we've got temperatures spiking over 90 degrees and from what I remember from my days at camp, Wednesday is frequently the day when families come out for the day and have dinner," said Kinder. "I called several different places and I'm just glad it worked out."

Linda Boren of Cape Girardeau attended the family event on Wednesday to visit her husband, David, and 14-year old son, Anthony. Campers provided tea and lemonade for the evening meal in addition to the bottled water experienced parents know to take with them during their visits, she said.

"A lot of the parents because we've done this before bring in our own sodas and bottled water and we replenish our son's supplies," she said. "They informed all of us that there was no drinking from the fountains and we knew what that meant."

Turpin said the boiled water order will likely be in effect until Saturday. Although inconvenient, the order did not interrupt other water activities, including swimming and personal hygiene needs, he said.

"It's not uncommon in the industry but we've had good luck here in the past," he said. "We're definitely ahead of the curve in working on a solution."