UPDATE: Boil Water Advisory Lifted For Howison Heights

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for the Howison Heights Water District located in Saline County. The advisory was issued because of a failure to maintain required chlorine residual levels. Failure to maintain chlorine residual levels may result in bacterial contamination.

Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

Laboratory testing samples collected from Howison Heights Water District indicate no evidence of contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.

ORIGINAL: The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the Howison Heights Water District public water system in Saline County. This system is a privately-owned water provider serving a population of approximately 200 in a development near Salina.

The water system is currently experiencing a fluctuation of chlorine residuals in the distribution system. Recent chlorine residuals collected by KDHE have ranged from highs of greater than 5 mg/L to lows of 0 mg/L. Since there are some areas of the system where chlorine levels may have dropped below the required minimum free chlorine level of 0.2 mg/L, customers of the system are advised to observe the following precautions until further notice.

Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation, or use bottled water.

Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.

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 so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.

If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.

KDHE is working with the owner/operator of the water system to properly address the chlorine residual issues and will notify area media when chlorine residuals are stabilized and the boil water advisory has been rescinded.

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