The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Norwich public water supply system in Kingman County.
The KDHE says that people in the affected area should observe the following precautions until further notice:
If tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
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 ice maker.
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.
The advisory took effect on January 3 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE issued the advisory because of a loss of pressure in the distribution system due to a waterline break. KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.
For consumer questions, please contact the water system or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For more information please visit KDHE's PWS Consumer Information webpage.
