Water Sickens 250 in Colorado

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Alamosa, Colorado might not have had chlorine in its water before, but the small town seems to be making up for lost time.

Crews have been pumping the municipal water system with high concentrations of chlorine in an effort to rid the system of salmonella bacteria. The bacteria is blamed for sickening nearly 250 people there, according to an ABC news story.

The city's 10,000 residents can't drink the water, or use it to bathe or even wash dishes because the chlorine being used to clean the water system is so toxic.

The first victim became ill March 8, and state health officials became aware of the outbreak a week later, according to the article. Nearly 250 people have complained of symptoms since the bacteria was discovered in the water supply and 72 of those cases so far have been confirmed as salmonella.

Officials haven't yet established how the water system became contaminated, but they have ruled out terrorism and disgruntled employees.

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