Illegal connection causes four Layton cases of giardiasis

LAYTON — A Layton resident making an illegal cross connection of secondary water with the city’s drinking water system is likely the cause behind four clustered confirmed cases of giardiasis in the city, Davis County Health officials say.

Giardia is a genus of protozoa possessing flagella. It inhabits the small intestine, causing an illness with such symptoms as diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea.

The illegal cross connection occurred near 2050 East and 200 South, said a Layton resident who became ill after drinking tap water. The resident wished to remain anonymous.

As county health officials investigated, they confirmed a cluster of four cases of giardiasis between Aug. 30 and Sept. 25, said Brian Hatch, Davis County Health Department epidemiologist, adding that it appears an association can be assumed.

But it cannot be confirmed all four cases are directly linked to the residents’ drinking the same secondary water, he said.

With a mixing of heavy drinking water, and little secondary water, Hatch said, it is likely residents were unable to taste a difference.

The complaint was called in to Layton on Oct. 5, and the city responded to the resident, then flushed the city’s culinary line with chlorinated water, resolving the problem, said Public Works Director Terry Coburn.

“This was not the city’s fault. What the city did was respond to a complaint.”

The city’s culinary water line has since been flushed with thousands of gallons of water, with test samples continually being taken, Coburn said.

“The problem is,” Coburn said, “people cross connect on their property and the city wouldn’t know about it.”

He said the cross connection affected 30 to 40 homes and the city responded quickly to isolate it.

Delane McGarvey, Davis County Health Environmental Services director, said a home-owner illegally connected the two systems through their piping and the secondary water being pushed through the line at a higher pressure  forced backfill into the culinary waterline.

Coburn declined to reveal the name or address of the property owner responsible for the cross connection.