There is a boil water advisory for about 750 customers of the East Washington Rural Water Corporation, according to EWRWC Manager Nathan Risen.
Risen said customers with accounts starting with 41 and 42 are advised to boil their water until further notice.
A boil-water advisory is a public health advisory or directive given by government or health authorities to consumers when a community’s drinking water is, or could be, contaminated by pathogens.
The water that comes out of the tap should not be used for drinking, brushing your teeth, cooking or washing fruits and vegetables and should be boiled
Bring water to a rolling boil for a minimum of one minute.
When it cools, refrigerate the water in clean containers.
A pinch of salt per quart may improve the rather flat taste of boiled water.
Risen said there are many customers without water today, but did not give a number.
“We ran a temporary line across the spillway and got some water into the system last night,” he said. “We are going to run another line to try and get some more water to our tower today.”
If you do not want to boil your water, you can disinfect it by adding 1/8 teaspoon of bleach (common household bleach containing 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite) per gallon of water. Do not use bleach containing perfume, dyes, or other additives.
It is not necessary to boil tap water used for other household purposes, such as showering, laundry, or bathing.
Adults, teens, and older children can wash, bathe, or shower; however, they should avoid swallowing the water.
Toddlers and infants should be sponge-bathed.
