DNR: 34 water systems not testing as they should

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that 34 public drinking water systems haven't tested their water for bacteria as often as they should.

The agency requires all public water systems to test for bacteria at least once a month to ensure they are providing safe drinking water.

The violators make up only about 1 percent of the state's roughly 2,700 public drinking water systems.

The agency said failing to monitor the water supply doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe but routine testing is an important safeguard.

The agency listed 34 systems in 16 counties that had at least three major monitoring violations in a year. Many were small, serving about 25 to 500 customers, and covered a restaurant, campground or motel, for example.

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On the Net:

DNR Violators List: http://www.dnr.mo.gov/wpscd/wpcp/chronic/2Qchronic.pdf