Retested water at lodge at Mount Charleston tests negative for bacteria

Lab testing found no evidence of bacterial contamination in the water supply at the Mt. Charleston Lodge restaurant this week, despite earlier positive results from one sample, according to the business and health officials.

Testing on Tuesday indicated the presence of total coliforms, related bacteria generally not dangerous to human health, and E. Coli, which falls under the total coliform umbrella, said Mark Bergtholdt, an environmental health supervisor with the Southern Nevada Health District.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “considers total coliforms a useful indicator of other pathogens for drinking water,” according to the organization’s website.

The restaurant was notified of possible E. Coli contamination in a sample taken from a bar sink faucet Wednesday, general manager Thomas Schneekloth said.

Multiple sites were tested again to double-check the results, and outcomes shared with the business Friday morning showed no evidence of any contamination, Schneekloth and Bergtholdt said.

It’s possible the first result could have been a false positive or that the sample may have been contaminated after collection, Schneekloth said.

Bergtholdt said it’s unclear what caused the initial positive result but that the water is considered safe.

“All I can say is that it may have been a false positive. Where the positive came from, I can’t tell,” he said.

The restaurant, which is run separately from nearby cabins and operates with its own water supply, posted notifications about the initial results to inform customers, Schneekloth said.

The business also brought in 40 cases of bottled water for customer use, used canned sodas and had boiling water on hand as a precaution.

The Southern Nevada Health District required the restaurant to issue a boil water order for its drinking water, which was lifted Friday afternoon, Bergtholdt said.

“We don’t mess with the Board of Health, and we don’t mess with our customers’ health,” Schneekloth said.

Contact Pashtana Usufzy at pusufzy@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4563. Follow @pashtana_u on Twitter