WEST OLIVE, Mich. — Residents of West Olive Estates may soon see an end to a nearly two-week boil water advisory after recent testing found no presence of coliform bacteria in the community's water system.
WATCH: West Olive Estates boil water advisory could be nearing an end after latest sample tests negative
The advisory, which has been in place since Sept. 24, has disrupted daily life for neighbors in the 742-home mobile home community, forcing families to rely on bottled water and alter routines as officials worked to identify the source of contamination.
Among those impacted are Megan and Jacob Veldheer, who temporarily left their home with their two young children after learning of the advisory.
"We decided that with the kids and everything else, it'd be safer if we could find somewhere else for a little while to stay," Megan said.
The advisory was issued after routine monitoring detected total coliform bacteria in the community's water system. According to a notice distributed to residents, coliform bacteria were found in samples collected from the system, prompting health officials to advise residents to boil water before drinking, cooking or brushing their teeth.
For families with young children, the restrictions created added challenges.
"We can't brush our teeth. If you cook with it, you've got to be very careful," Megan Veldheer said. "I can't give her a bath at home. I can't give our son a bath at home."
Residents have also expressed frustration over what they describe as limited communication during the ongoing advisory.
"It's been a lot of either silence or the corporate answers that most people can't really understand fully," Jacob Veldheer said. "You wait and wait and wait and nothing."
State officials say the contamination did not originate from the community's groundwater wells.
According to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), routine monitoring on Sept. 21 produced a positive sample for total coliform bacteria. Follow-up testing on Sept. 23 found two of six repeat samples also tested positive. None of the community's wells tested positive for contamination.
Investigators traced the issue to a cross-connection device on a pool and spa line. The spa had recently been taken out of service. EGLE said only samples collected at the community building and an adjacent building tested positive for coliform bacteria, while samples collected at other locations were negative.
Following the advisory, the community's water system was flushed. After the cross-connection was repaired, officials conducted a second flushing of the entire system. Because West Olive Estates serves 742 homes, the flushing process required significant time, according to EGLE.
The most recent samples, collected Oct. 2 and analyzed Oct. 3, returned negative results for total coliform bacteria. Another round of testing was conducted Oct. 5, with results expected Oct. 6.
West Olive Estates officials confirmed the Oct. 2 samples tested negative for coliform bacteria.
A request for comment sent to the community's parent company, YES! Communities, had not received a response at the time of reporting.
For residents like the Veldheers, the latest test results offer hope that normal life may soon resume after days of uncertainty.
"You would think you'd hear a lot more from the park trying to update the people," Jacob Veldheer said. "It's been a lot of silence and smoke and mirrors."
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