Pine Ridge area residents urged to boil water until further notice

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) — A drinking water warning has been issued for the Pine Ridge area following main waterline repairs.

According to a notice sent out by O.S.T. Water & Sewer Co., the water system was shut down on Oct. 6 to allow for repair work that was completed on the same day. This led to a loss of pressure that can cause a variety of different issues that could lead to the potential that fecal contamination or other disease-causing organisms could enter the distribution system.

With that in mind, authorities say you should not drink or otherwise use the water without boiling it first. Make sure to bring water to a rolling boil for at least three minutes, and let it cool before using, or use bottle water. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms that may be in the water. Discard any stored water or ice made recently from the water supply.

O.S.T. Water & Sewer Co. says it will inform customers when there is no longer a need to boil water before use.

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