RICHMOND -- The Richmond Utilities District failed to perform a required monthly water test in October, running afoul of state and federal water-testing requirements by just one day.

Tests taken before and after the missed monthly test have come back clean, a state official said, and the missed test isn't an indication that the district's water was, or is, unsafe to drink.

Carlton Gardner, head of compliance for the Maine Drinking Water Program, said it appears the district simply took water samples in October that should have been taken the end of September.

"I believe they received their bottles and did their samples before the month of October had started," Gardner said. "Everybody makes a mistake once in a while. Richmond's past history is they've been doing a good job. It was so close, but we have no choice. It's tough, but a month is a month."

Gardner said it appears Richmond's water is safe to drink.

He noted that Richmond's district has done the required testing every month since. Gardner looked back to 2002 and didn't see any failed or missed water tests in Richmond.

District Superintendent Michael Broadbent said the district usually receives one sampling bottle a month from the state for the test.

The required monthly test is for coliform bacteria.

Because the test was not taken, the district was considered to be in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.

The notice sent to customers states, in part, "During 10/1/2007 to 10/31/2007 we did not test or did not complete all the testing for total coliform bacteria and therefore cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during that time."

The Richmond Utilities District, which is independent of the town of Richmond, was required to notify its customers of the missed test but is not facing any other sanctions, Gardner said.

The state Drinking Water Program, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, monitors close to 1900 different water systems in the state, including some 400 communities as well as independent services such as those serving campgrounds or restaurants.

The district, which serves more than 550 homes, won the best-tasting untreated sample in the Maine Rural Water Association's 20th Annual Drinking Water Taste Test in 2006.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com