Burney Water District finds E coli bacteria in drinking water, asks people to boil water - Action News Now

Burney Water District finds E coli bacteria in drinking water, asks people to boil water | News | actionnewsnow.com

BURNEY, Calif. - E coli bacteria has been found present in the drinking water distribution system, according to the Burney Water District.

The presence of these bacteria indicate that other pathogens could be present in tap water which can make you sick and are a particular concern for people with weakened immune systems, the water district said.

Therefore, the Burney Water District in conjunction with the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water are advising residents of Burney to only use boiled tap water or bottle water for drinking and cooking purposes.

The Burney Water District said bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice.

General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from U.S. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791.

The Burney Water District also said, “today we received test results which confirm the presence of E. coli bacteria in the drinking water. We are working to identify any possible sources of contamination and eliminate them. We will be flushing fresh water into the system and potentially chlorinating the water if it becomes necessary.”