False Positive For E. Coli In Water 'Highly Likely': Mayor

PLAINFIELD, IL — Three days after testing indicated E. coli bacteria in a sample of Plainfield's water supply, Mayor John Argoudelis said after additional testing over the weekend, it's "highly likely" last week's result was a false positive.

In a message posted to Facebook Monday afternoon, Argoudelis said the village over the weekend sent out 40 samples of water to be tested for E. coli bacteria contamination. They came back negative.

In total, 61 samples of water from throughout the village have been tested since the initial sample came back positive for E. coli on Wednesday, and all have been clean, he wrote.

"It is highly likely that our water supply has always been clean and the one test from last week was a false positive!" the mayor said on Facebook.

RELATED: E. Coli Contamination In Plainfield Water: Village

Village staff alerted residents of positive results on Friday and imposed an emergency boil order, which was still in place as of noon Monday. As a result, students in Plainfield School District 202 schools that received water from the village took classes remotely on Monday.

Argoudelis confirmed the village is waiting for results from an additional 40 samples and hope to receive results Monday.

"If they are clean we will lift the boil order [as soon as possible]," he told Patch.

RELATED: E. Coli Update: Testing Shows Bacteria Not 'A Systematic Problem'

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