The Colorado Health Foundation has presented state health officials with a $100,000 gift, to defray part of the costs incurred when the city of Alamosa’s water supply became contaminated with bacteria last month.
Half of the money will go to the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment to cover the costs of water tests and monitoring, and half will go to the Alamosa County Nursing Services to cover health care costs incurred during the crisis.
An outbreak of salmonella bacteria in Alamosa’s water sickened more than 400 people in March and April, and the state issued bottled and boil water orders to protect the 10,000 people who rely on city water.
March 31, Alamosa officials estimated that city and state officials had already spent at least $469,000 to deal with the crisis. A more recent figure was not immediately available, but state health officials estimated nearly 100 staff members worked on the emergency – arranging for and distributing bottled water, educating the public and disinfecting the city’s water system. Other local, state, federal and non-profit agencies also assisted in Alamosa effort.
