State health officials have told residents in 24 homes in west Wichita to to stop drinking their water after authorities found a toxic dry-cleaning solvent in their private wells.

The Wichita Eagle reports the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says the solvent came from former area dry cleaners.

Bob Jurgens, chief of the KDHE Dry Cleaning Remediation Program, says 50 private water wells in the area have been tested, and 24 wells had concentrations of a chemical called, tetrachloroethylene, above federal standards. The EPA has classified the chemical as a likely carcinogen.

KDHE says it will hold a public meeting about the problem with residents Thursday evening.

Jurgens expects the number of contaminated wells to rise as crews continue sampling in the area.
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Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle