Rossville residents told to boil water, here’s why

ROSSVILLE (KSNT) – State health officials issued a boil water advisory for the City of Rossville in Shawnee County due to a loss in pressure in the local water supply system.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) said in a press release that people living in Rossville should begin taking precautions when dealing with non-bottled water sources. This advisory is expected to remain in place until the loss of pressure issue is resolved by state health officials, according to the KDHE.

Boil water for one minute prior to 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 KDHE said that failure to maintain the proper pressure required for the city’s water system can result in a loss of chlorine residuals, leading to bacterial contamination. The KDHE is the only body capable of rescinding the boil water advisory.

If you have questions regarding this public health alert, you can reach out to the water system by calling 785-584-6155 or by calling the KDHE at 785-296-5514. For more information, consider visiting the KDHE’s website by clicking here.

Restaurants and other establishments dealing with food that have questions on this advisory can reach out to the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) food safety & lodging program online by clicking here or by calling 785-564-6767.