The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) rescinded the 'boil water advisory' for the City of Wichita Thursday afternoon; the advisory is also no longer in effect for Andover, as well.
The advisory was issued early Wednesday morning after a loss of pressure in the water system. The pressure loss followed a power outage caused by the failure of generators used during Tuesday night’s thunderstorms.
Water samples were collected from 195 testing locations throughout the system Wednesday. Following the required 24-hour incubation period for bacteria testing, City staff-members and the KDHE reviewed the results Thursday afternoon. Testing found no evidence of bacteria, and KDHE determined that other conditions that could have placed the system at risk of contamination had been resolved.
The City is also continuing to investigate the cause of the generator power failure and will review procedures intended to prevent a similar multi-failure power outage in the future.
As of 9/17 at 5:35 pm, @KDHE lifted the Boil Water Advisory for Wichita. Derby is required to perform a water quality analysis. Testing samples will be taken tonight. We anticipate that the advisory will be lifted on Friday after a 24-hour incubation period & approval by KDHE. pic.twitter.com/cVPzflPgM0
— City of Derby (@derbyks) September 17, 2026
Despite Wichita being 'in the clear', the 'boil advisory' remains in effect for outlying city water customers, pending further testing, including: Kechi, Bel Aire, Valley Center, Derby, Benton, Rose Hill, and some rural parts of Sedgwick County. Some cities may be dealing with this until at least Saturday.
Wichita Public School students were in class Thursday despite the advisory.
The Wichita School District’s Service Center, where school leaders store thousands of bottles of water, delivered many of those bottles to schools all over the city.
Districts rushed to get 16,000 water bottles to 84 sites at all schools, so classes could be held.
School leaders provided each student and staff-member one bottle of water in school on Thursday.
