Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CLINTON — Officials are advising residents of Clinton to avoid drinking water from the city system after samples tested positive for E. Coli Wednesday.
The advisory was issued as a precaution while officials wait for further test results to determine whether or not the water is contaminated, according to Clinton Public Works Director Mike Child. He said the repeat samples are expected to come back Thursday afternoon.
- Use boiled or bottled water. If planning to boil your water, bring it to a rapid boil for 5 minutes.
- Use boiled or bottled water to brush teeth, wash hands before food preparation and for any food preparation.
- Bathing in unboiled water is OK as long as you don't have open sores and the water doesn't enter the mouth.
- Drain and flush all ice makers water heaters, purifiers, water softeners, and reverse osmosis systems. Follow manufacturers' recommendations when cleaning or replacing filters or screening devices.
- Let chlorinated cold water run through every faucet in your home or business for 20 minutes followed by two minutes of straight hot water. Replace filters.
Throw out ice cubes or other water stored in refrigerators that have connections to culinary water sources.
"In the meantime, we've put out an advisory asking our citizens to take a precaution and act as though it is contaminated by drinking bottled water or boiling it," he said.
The water may have been contaminated by a cross-connection where a resident connected a line of irrigation water to the drinking water system at their home, according to investigators. The irrigation water was disconnected and officials said they have begun disinfection procedures.
No other cities were effected by the possible contamination.
There is not yet a boiling order in place for the city, but if there is E. Coli in the water it can be killed by boiling, Child said. He suggested residents avoid using water to wash their hands as a precaution and instead use hand sanitzer while officials wait for the test results to come back.
City officials said they are not aware of anyone who has become sick from drinking the water.
The irrigation water in Clinton is untreated and comes directly from the river, according to Child.
"Anything that is near that river, whether it be a ranch or whatever flows into the river, can possibly contaminate it," he said. "The irrigation water is not safe to drink anytime."
Contributing: Paul Nelson
