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Kansas
Department of Health & Environment
Bill Graves, Governor
Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary

For Immediate Release

October 22, 2002

Contact: Sharon Watson, 785-296-5795

KDHE Issues Boil Water Advisory for City of Toronto Customers

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is issuing a boil water advisory for all customers of City of Toronto.

The advisory is being issued as a precaution. While repairing a leak in the system the tower valve was closed, causing the system to lose pressure. This allows the possibility of bacteria to enter the public water supply. Water samples were collected today, October 22, to test for the presence of total coliform bacteria and to monitor the chlorine residuals. Total coliform are an indicator of the possibility of disease-causing organisms being present. All public water supplies in the state are sampled at least twice per month and screened for total coliform.

All customers of City of Toronto are advised to:

• Boil water vigorously used for drinking and cooking for at least one minute prior to use. Use only boiled water for drinking, diluting fruit juices, and all other food preparation.
• Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household ice maker. Remake ice cubes with water that has been boiled.
• 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 or using backyard pools so water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.

KDHE staff will perform additional sampling and analysis over the next few days, and will notify residents once the boil water advisory has been lifted. For more information, residents may contact KDHE's District Office in Chanute at 620-431-2390.

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