Connecticut Water lifts boil water order for 9 shoreline towns

Connecticut Water Co. lifted the boil water order notice Saturday afternoon that affected multiple towns across the shoreline. 

The notice had been in place since Friday. People were able to normally use their tap water as of 4:15 p.m., according to Connecticut Water. 

“While this boil notice was a great inconvenience, we prioritized the health and safety of our customers and we believe that was the right thing to do,” Connecticut Water wrote on its website. 

Connecticut Water said its system violated a federal drinking water standard after a routine water sample and follow-up testing detected E. coli bacteria in the distribution system.

Connecticut Water said it was notified Friday that one water sample at a tap in Essex indicated the presence of E. coli. Other water samples, including those at other well water sources, did not detect any E. coli bacteria. 

Department of Health regulations required Connecticut Water to notify anyone who may be affected that are in “two specific interconnected water systems related to that sample location.” 

The boil water advisory was put in effect for customers in Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Chester, Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Clinton, Madison and Guilford.

Connecticut Water continued to re-test the water throughout the period of the boil notice. 

“The results of those additional tests showed that this was an isolated incident and was specific to a localized issue at one tap in Essex,” Connecticut Water wrote on its website. 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the presence of E. coli is a serious health concern because it indicates the water may be contaminated with human or animal waste. Microbes in contaminated water can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches and other symptoms, and may pose a greater risk to infants, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

While the boil water notice was in effect, customers in those communities had to boil tap water for at least one minute before drinking it or using it for food preparation, making ice, brushing teeth or washing dishes. Tap water could still be used without boiling for bathing, laundry and other purposes where it was not consumed.

Connecticut Water Co. had provided free potable water at several locations for residents to fill up containers on Saturday morning. 

Water tankers had been stationed at John Winthrop Middle School on Winthrop Road in Deep River, the Westbrook Fire Department on South Main Street, and the Interstate 95 commuter lot in Madison. The Essex Fire Department also distributed free potable water.