18 January 2024
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Parts of Topeka remain in a water boil advisory. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommendations to purify water.
The City of Topeka informed local residents of a problem with the water supply system around 9 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 14. The advisory was issued as a precaution for customers living in Topeka and nearby areas in Shawnee County.
After making repairs on Monday, Jan. 15, the city extended the boil water advisory by several days to flush the water supply system and complete lab testing to ensure the water is safe to drink again.
As of Jan. 18, the water boil advisory has been rescinded for most of Topeka. The boil water advisories for the Shawnee County Rural Water District 1C and the Metro Topeka Airport Authority are still in effect awaiting lab results.
According to the CDC, if you know your water is unsafe don’t drink, wash dishes, brush your teeth, prepare food, wash your hands, make ice or baby formula with it. The CDC says in these situations bottled, boiled or treated water should be used for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene.
In cases where water is contaminated with fuel, toxic chemicals or radioactive materials; boiling or disinfecting water won’t make it safe, according to the CDC.
Boiling
If water is contaminated, boiling it will kill disease-causing germs, viruses, bacteria and parasites. If water is cloudy, the CDC says to filter it through a cloth, paper towel, coffee filter or allow it to settle then draw off the clear water.
Steps for boiling water:
Bring the water to a rolling boil for one minute.
Let the water cool.
Store the water in clean sanitized containers with tight covers.
Disinfecting
Using disinfectants to purify water may not kill all harmful disease-causing viruses but can help make water safe. Water with chemicals and radioactive materials won’t be made safe by using disinfectants.
Using Bleach:
Bleach can be used to disinfect water but the level of sodium hypochlorite must be checked. According to the CDC, most bleach in the USA has between 5% to 9% sodium hypochlorite. If your bleach has 5-9% concentration of sodium hypochlorite, add eight drops of bleach to the water. If the bleach has 1% of sodium hypochlorite, add 40 drops of bleach.
The CDC says to double the amount of bleach if water is cloudy, murky, colored or very cold. For a table on how much bleach is needed to disinfect water, click here.
Chemical Tablets:
Tablets are available that can be used to disinfect water. The tablets can be found in various sizes and treat specific amounts of water, according to the CDC.
When using chemical tablets the CDC says:
Follow manufacturer instructions.
Chlorine dioxide tablets can kill germs including cryptosporidium. Iodine tablets or chlorine tablets kill most germs but not cryptosporidium. Water disinfected with iodine isn’t recommended for pregnant women, people with thyroid problems or those with hypersensitivity to iodine.
Don’t use tablets for more than a few weeks at a time.
Filter
Portable water filters can be used to remove disease-causing parasites like cryptosporidium and giardia, according to the CDC. The CDC says filters should have a pore size of one micron or smaller to remove parasites.
Most filters don’t remove viruses or bacteria, read and follow manufacturer instructions for the filter you’re using. After filtering the water, disinfectants such as iodine, chlorine or chlorine dioxide should be used to kill any remaining viruses or bacteria, according to the CDC.
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