38 million gallons of drinking water poured after teenager urinates into reservoir

-Mirror

Oregon, USA: Water bosses are flushing away 38 million gallons of water because someone urinated in a reservoir - and it's the second time it's happened in less than three years.

Officials in Portland, Oregon say they have taken the step after a 19-year-old was videotaped taking a leak in the water at Mount Tabor reservoir.

Video taken by the site's security cameras appears to show a group of five youngsters near the open water at around 1am.

Three head off and one breaks from the crowd, leaning against an iron fence, and relieving himself through the bars.

In 2011 the city drained a different reservoir in Mount Tabor after a man dirtied the water supply.

Portland Water Bureau administrator David Shaff told The Oregonian newspaper: "The basic commandment of the Water Bureau is to provide clean, cold and constant water to its customers.

"And the premise behind that is we don't have pee in it."

He said there would be a "very minimal risk" the contaminated water would pose a health threat.

Three teens have been excluded from Mount Tabor Park for 30 days for trespassing and a 19-year-old was cited for public urination.