Kernersville water warning after elevated nitrite levels found in Abington system
A water utility is advising some Kernersville customers not to give tap water to infants younger than 6 months after elevated nitrite levels were detected in part of its water system.Carolina Water Service of North Carolina said routine drinking water monitoring found nitrite levels above the federal and state maximum contaminant level of 1.0 milligram per liter at one entry point in the Abington water system. The system serves about 600 customers, according to a CWS spokesperson.The company said a compliance sample collected July 7 detected nitrite at 2.1 milligrams per liter, and the laboratory reported the result on July 10.Officials said the two wells serving the affected entry points were immediately taken out of service and are no longer supplying water while the company investigates the source of the elevated nitrite levels and conducts additional testing.Nitrite can pose a serious health risk to infants younger than 6 months because it can reduce the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.“As soon as we received the results, we took immediate action by removing the affected wells from service and coordinating with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality,” Carolina Water Service spokesperson Jessica Dey said.The company said adults and children older than 6 months can continue drinking the water.Officials stressed that boiling the water will not remove nitrite.Customers with infants younger than 6 months should use bottled water or another source of water low in nitrite to prepare infant formula or for drinking until further notice.As a precaution, bottled water is being made available for customers at the Abington Wastewater Treatment Facility, located at 6890 Bainburgh Court.The company said additional samples have been collected from the affected wells and other wells in the system. Officials expect to receive more laboratory results this week.Carolina Water Service said no other North Carolina water systems operated by the company are affected.Customers with health concerns are encouraged to contact their health care provider.TRENDING
A water utility is advising some Kernersville customers not to give tap water to infants younger than 6 months after elevated nitrite levels were detected in part of its water system.
Carolina Water Service of North Carolina said routine drinking water monitoring found nitrite levels above the federal and state maximum contaminant level of 1.0 milligram per liter at one entry point in the Abington water system. The system serves about 600 customers, according to a CWS spokesperson.
The company said a compliance sample collected July 7 detected nitrite at 2.1 milligrams per liter, and the laboratory reported the result on July 10.
Officials said the two wells serving the affected entry points were immediately taken out of service and are no longer supplying water while the company investigates the source of the elevated nitrite levels and conducts additional testing.
Nitrite can pose a serious health risk to infants younger than 6 months because it can reduce the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
“As soon as we received the results, we took immediate action by removing the affected wells from service and coordinating with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality,” Carolina Water Service spokesperson Jessica Dey said.
The company said adults and children older than 6 months can continue drinking the water.
Officials stressed that boiling the water will not remove nitrite.
Customers with infants younger than 6 months should use bottled water or another source of water low in nitrite to prepare infant formula or for drinking until further notice.
As a precaution, bottled water is being made available for customers at the Abington Wastewater Treatment Facility, located at 6890 Bainburgh Court.
The company said additional samples have been collected from the affected wells and other wells in the system. Officials expect to receive more laboratory results this week.
Carolina Water Service said no other North Carolina water systems operated by the company are affected.
Customers with health concerns are encouraged to contact their health care provider.
TRENDING