Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!
What a bunch of fools!
The water department is STILL trying to figure out where the coliform contamination in the water is coming from. Finally, today, they listed information on what to do during a Water Boil. They have known about this problem for one full week, and they have just NOW informed the citizens of the safety proceedures.
The Water Department has been testing thirty sites throughout the city. The contamination they are finding at some of the sites could simply be due to a dirty faucet, since at least two of the sites are in public restrooms. However, there is sufficient evidence that the 4-million gallon, underground clearwell is contaminated to justify shutting it down. We are now drawing water from two one million gallon above-ground reservoir. Unfortunately, the water from the contaminated tank has to be flushed through the system, and our appliances, such as the water heaters, so we are boiling our water.
If you would like more detail on what you must do during a Water Boil, read on.
Boil water for three to five minutes before using it for any activity where water can be ingested, including: drinking, making ice cubes, cooking, washing food, such as fruits and vegetables, brushing teeth, hand washing (hand sanitizers are recommented, make sure hands are washed before eating).
Washing dishes in the sink: Tap water may be used if the clean dishes are immersed after rinsing for at least one minute in a sink containing one capful of unscented household bleach for every two gallons of water. Dishes should then be air dried.
Baths for infants 24 months of age and younger: Infants should be bathed in bottled water or baby wipes should be used until the boil order is rescinded.
NOTE: Water should be boiled for three to five minuted and not longer. Longer boiling times may concentrate any chemical contaminates, raising their concentration to harmful levels.
OK to use water for: Baths for anyone older than 24 months, (Tell children to keep water out of their mouths while bathing) showering, washing clothes, household cleaning,
Dishwasher: If after the dish washer cycle is complete, the dishes are removed from the dishwasher and soaked for at least one minute in a skink containing one capful of unscented household bleach for every two callons of water. The dishes should not be rinsed, but allwed to air-dry.
Animals are generally not affected in the same way as are people by contaminents in the water. Still, an individual may give their pet bottled water or water that has been boiled 3 to 5 minutes and cooled if they choose. Fish tanks should not be affected.
Once the boil order is lifted, homeowners should:
Flush the building's water lines.
Clean all faucet screens. Faucet screens should be rinsed of gtit and then soaked in a bleach solution for at least one minute. Immersing the faucet head in a cup of boiling water is not enough. The water will not stay hot long enough to kill any contaminants. Shower heads do not have to be cleaned.
Water heaters should be purged, using either the drain falve on the side of the tank or by running hot warter in the house until the heater tank is empties. Ice-cube makers lines should be purged.
Okay....think about all the water we are using to circumvent this problem. We wash our dishes in the dishwasher, and then wash them again to kill the bacteria. When the boil order is over, we will have to empty TWO water heaters, the ice maker, and all the lines in the house. AND....we will have to run the water until the lines leading TO the house are clear. Now tell me.....just who is going to pay for all that water, and the sewer bill that is based on water use? Yup.....you got it. We'll be shafted for the city government's bad choices. I bet there will be a flurry of lawsuits like you've never seen, from businesses, older citizens who either became ill, or who can't afford the cost to purge their homes, and citizens who are billed for phenominal water bills for contaminated water.
AND....we'll be shafted again when they have to replace that 4 million gallon clearwell. I'm really ticked about this, and I can't see it getting better any time soon. NOW would be a good time to go on vacation!
Comments (4)
I never even thought about the water bill that you will be faced with - that sucks!
I was thinking yesterday that when a well is contaminated (it should be checked once per year) that you pour a gallon of bleach down into the well and let it sit a while. Then you run the water until all chlorine smell is gone (about 3 days for us - it's a deep well).
The only cost incurred is the extra electricity used to run the pump, which doesn't really amount to all that much.
Posted by bogie | February 11, 2004 6:41 AM
Posted on February 11, 2004 06:41
Sounds like a hell of a lot of information to 'digest!'
I'd recommend bottled water for the time being. It may save you a lot of effort and fuel.
Hope they get the coliforms out soon.
Posted by Dr. D. | February 11, 2004 8:05 AM
Posted on February 11, 2004 08:05
Yes...that bill will suck big time, and you KNOW there won't be any relief offered, since they are likely to have to build a new tank.
Doc, I have six gallons of bottled water, and I boil about four a day. I rinsed the dishes from the dishwasher last night in bleach water and that shot another nine gallons.
DH took me out to dinner, and it was the most relaxing moment of the day. No extra dishes to wash! *G*
Posted by Buffy | February 11, 2004 8:42 AM
Posted on February 11, 2004 08:42
Good grief! The last time we had to boil water was during flooding in Kansas City in approximately 1950. Then, the directions were to "Boil water before drinking." There was no such thing as bottled water, of course, and we did use bleach in dishwashing. As to high water bills: at least your large bill is temporary, thank your lucky stars! In the little burg in which we live (approximately 20,000), our brilliant mayor and city council pulled a fast one on us. Since our city wells were being over-pumped, they wrote a contract with Wichita, promising to buy water from them for the next 20 years! (There were other options, but we citizens had no chance to do anything about it--the contract is binding. The mayor got dumped in the last election!) Our water bills tripled (partly to pay for the 10 miles of water line that had to be laid and all of the attendant controls, etc.) Last August, while HH was out serving with the American Red Cross, the water bill came in. I had a fit! It was for nearly $500.
Posted by Cop Car | February 15, 2004 4:47 AM
Posted on February 15, 2004 04:47