Some rural residents in Cherokee County advised to boil water

November 05, 2008 10:54 pm

— By Greg Grisolano
ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. — People living in Cherokee County Rural Water District No. 3 are under a boil-order advisory, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
The boil order was issued Wednesday after a waterline break resulted in a loss of pressure, said Mike Heideman, spokesman for KDHE.
“This is a precautionary measure,” he said. “We’ve not had any reports of people being sick.”
The break happened at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday and was repaired by 9 a.m., Heideman said. The affected area is about one mile east of U.S. Highway 69 Alternate and about three miles north of U.S. Highway 166.
Cherokee County Commissioner Rodney Edmondson said several hundred people are affected by the order.
Heideman said the boil order will remain in effect while department officials test water samples for contaminants. The tests could take up to 72 hours, but results usually are known within 24 to 48 hours, he said.

Precautions

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommends that residents take the following precautions:
n Boil water for one minute before drinking or food preparation, or use bottled water.
n Dispose of ice cubes, and do not use ice from a household automatic ice maker.
n 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.
n If tap water appears dirty, flush waterlines by letting the water run until it clears.