Excerpt from a local paper...

E. coli in island wells

By RICK NEALE
Staff writer

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PUT-IN-BAY -- E. coli bacteria has been discovered in groundwater wells at Heineman Winery and Press House Corner Market, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency reported.

Both Catawba Avenue businesses have been ordered by the Ottawa County Health Department to stop using their well water supplies and septic systems. The EPA findings were generated during investigation of a still-unidentified outbreak of gastrointestinal illness has sickened hundreds of Put-in-Bay residents, summer workers and visitors in recent weeks.

"They've been testing water all over the island," Heineman Winery Assistant Manager Michael Bianchi said. "They've found some of the wells weren't up to snuff, which included us."

The mystery illness causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, cramps, chills and other flu-like symptoms. As of this morning, Ottawa County Health Commissioner Nancy Osborn said her department had received more than 100 reports of patients linked to the outbreak.

Osborn said no definitive links have been made between the E. coli discoveries and the outbreak. The cause of the sickness remains unidentified. Stool and vomit samples are being analyzed by the Ohio Department of Health, which could issue a report by week's end.

Heineman Winery remains open for business. Late Monday night, Osborn said Press House Corner Market voluntarily closed down its operations.

"The reason why is, they were ordered by the Ohio EPA to plug the outlet of their septic tank and use it as a holding tank, and have it pumped," she said. EPA officials suspect the market's septic tank may have adversely affected its well water supply, she said.

Nobody answered the phone last night and this morning at Press House Corner Market. The establishment, which includes the newly added Joe's Bar, is located near the entrance to South Bass Island State Park.

The winery and the market are both located in Put-in-Bay Township, where water is largely provided by private wells. The village public water system primarily serves the downtown area.

A message seeking comment was left this morning for Dina Pierce, an Ohio EPA spokeswoman in Columbus.

Bianchi said Heineman Winery employees are now using bottled water for winery operations, and towelettes are being supplied in the restrooms.

He said some winery workers have been stricken by the illness.

"We had some people that had some symptoms two, three weeks ago, but nothing extensive. Everybody's anxiously waiting to see what it is that's causing this out here," he said.

The winery typically sells drinking water to customers from vending machines, Bianchi said.

Media coverage of the Put-in-Bay outbreak continues to gain steam. "I did 20 interviews yesterday," Osborn said. "And five I didn't get to."

RICK NEALE