CAPE CORAL - Utility workers mistakenly hooked up four houses to this city's treated wastewater supply instead of to its purified drinking water.
One family used the reclaimed water for more than three months. Two other homes were hooked up about a month ago, and a fourth house was vacant, officials said.
The lines have been fixed, but health concerns remain.
Cape Coral's wastewater is filtered and treated with chlorine, but that doesn't eliminate parasites that can cause gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhea, said Dr. Judith Hartner, Lee County public health director.
"Mistakes were made," City Manager Terry Stewart said Wednesday. "The best we can do is make it right."
Ron Kazel, who learned Wednesday that his house faucets had dispensed reclaimed water since June, would not comment on whether he and his wife were experiencing health problems.
"I'm livid," Kazel said.
The wastewater comes from residential sinks and toilets. It is sanitized at a treatment plant before being routed back to residents' lawn irrigation systems. City officials said they received a complaint Monday from a homeowner about the water quality. A second homeowner inquired about low water pressure in the morning, when many lawn sprinklers are running. Technicians investigated and discovered the faulty hookups.
Officials then ordered inspections of nearly 600 newly connected homes and found two more wrong connections.
Stewart said the errors occurred because city workers failed to match colored tape on the lines during hookup.
The city fixed the connections, flushed and chlorinated the lines and agreed to pay any medical bills associated with the problem.
