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At least 15 people were sickened by a parasite after drinking from a natural spring in New Hampshire, which also tested positive for E. coli, health officials said Thursday.
Giardia had been suspected at the spring in Bethlehem, and testing confirmed the parasite’s presence in the water, which comes out on Old Franconia Road, the Department of Health and Human Services said.
They urged anyone with water collected from the spring, which flows from a white pipe into a roadside bowl, to get rid of it or, if they plan on using it for anything, boiling it first.
Initially, five cases of giardia dating to late August were identified, and health officials urged anyone who drank from the spring in Bethlehem, to look out for symptoms of the sickness that giardia can cause: diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, gas and dehydration.
The owner of the Bethlehem property where the spring has been under investigation shut off the water proactively, officials said.
They also noted that springs aren’t concerned potable in general, since they have the potential for harboring germs.
“Water from these natural sources might look clean, but it could still be unsafe,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said last week. “The safest option is to avoid drinking from natural springs and other water sources that may be untreated.”
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Asher Klein
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