Debris found in water tank

US health inspectors found paint chips and other debris in equipment used to deliver drinking water to Atlantic Southeast Airlines planes in Kansas, regulators said on Tuesday.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) disclosed in a May 2 warning letter that inspectors detected a sediment problem in March with a portable tank, at the carrier’s Mid-Continent Airport facility in Wichita.

“This presence of sediment indicates that the water cart is not adequately maintained, flushed and sanitized with sufficient frequency to ensure potable water is delivered to the aircraft,” the agency said.

The watering point inspected by the FDA is used to service Atlantic Southeast flights operating as connecting service for Delta Air Lines.

Atlantic Southeast spokeswoman Kate Modolo said the tank had already been taken out of service for maintenance issues before the FDA inspection in March.

“The equipment wasn’t in service so we’re currently investigating what may have occurred to cause the contamination,” she said.

Most of the company’s planes get water from the airline’s Atlanta hub and are only refilled at the Kansas facility on an as-needed basis, Modolo said. All of its water carts are cleaned on a monthly basis, she added.

The FDA said it would allow Atlantic Southeast to continue using the water facility on a “provisional” basis, but called for changes to correct the problem.

“If significant corrections are not made the time of the next inspection, FDA will reclassify the facility as ‘non-approved’ for carrier use,” regulators said.

Commercial airlines are required to carry clean water for drinking and cooking aboard all flights. The FDA monitors carts, trucks, hoses and other equipment used at airports to deliver water to planes.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates water quality aboard aircraft and proposed in March to upgrade its standards. That initiative was prompted by an EPA investigation in 2004 that found contaminated water on a number of commercial planes.

The FDA sends dozens of warning letters every year, mostly targeting problems with drug and device companies, researchers and food manufacturers. They are usually resolved without further issue, but the agency can impose fines and other penalties.

(Reuters)