Boil water advisory issued for southwest Kansas town

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Health officials are concerned that water in the City of Coolidge could be at risk of bacteria, so they have issued a boil water advisory for the town.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says a water line break caused a loss of pressure in the city’s public water supply system. When that happens, chlorine residuals can drop, putting the system at risk of bacterial contamination.

So, the KDHE wants residents and businesses to follow these precautions until further notice:

Boil water for one minute before drinking or food preparation, or use bottled water.

Dispose of ice cubes, and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.

If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.

Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.

Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.

The boil water advisory will last until the KDHE says the water has been tested and is safe to drink.

If you have any questions, call the water system at 785-221-1347 or the KDHE at 785-296-5514. You can also get more information on the KDHE website.

Businesses that sell food may have additional questions. They can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety and lodging program at [email protected] or call 785-564-6767.