Wichita, Kansas (KSNW) — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boiling water advisory for the City of Garden Plains.
The City of Garden Plain says one of its water repairs has failed and is working to fix the issue.
KDHE states that until further notice, customers must comply with the following precautions:
- Boil water for 1 minute before drinking or preparing food, or use bottled water.
- Do not use ice from an automatic home ice maker.
- If the tap water looks dirty, run it until the water runs clear to flush out the pipes.
- Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by soaking in clean tap water containing 1 teaspoon of unscented household bleach per 1 gallon of water for at least 1 minute.
- The water used for bathing usually does not need to be boiled. Children must be supervised during bathing to avoid swallowing water. People with cuts or severe rashes are advised to consult a doctor.
The advisory will go into effect on January 28 and will remain in effect until the conditions that put systems at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because the line break occurred as a result of the loss of pressure in the system. Failure to maintain proper pressure can result in loss of residual chlorine and bacterial contamination.
Regardless of whether a public water supplier or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boiling water advisory, only KDHE can issue a revocation order after testing by an accredited laboratory.