Bacteria which water department officials say is not harmful has been found in samples of water taken from two DeKalb homes this summer.

Water Superintendent Gerry Bever said the bacteria found is not harmful and is “not unusual for water supplies.” He said the two contaminated samples were taken from private homes and traced to water softeners in the homes, not the city water supply.

Samples of water taken at the homes before going through the water softener had no contamination, Bever said. The city is required to notify the public of contaminated water under regulations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, he said.

Bever said occasional questionable samples like the ones recently discovered occur because of the collector’s technique, faucet design or consumer owned treatment equipment which has not been properly cleaned.

Bever said property owners should clean water treatment facilities as recommended by the manufacturer to prevent contamination.