BOIL ORDER issued for Waterville Valley due to presence of bacterial contamination.
<p><strong>BOIL ORDER NOTICE</strong></p>
<p><strong>This water system may be contaminated with <em>E. coli </em>bacteria</strong></p>
<p><strong>BOIL YOUR WATER BEFORE USING</strong></p>
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<p>Public Water System Name: <u>Town of Waterville Valley</u>___________ PWS ID:<u>2441010</u> Date: <u>09/22/2016</u></p>
<p>The following situation occurred:</p>
<p>☐Loss of power and/or pressure for an extended period<br />
X The failure of a disinfection process <br />
☐A significant water main break ☐Flooding of a wellhead or pump house<br />
☐Other situation____________________________________________________________________________</p>
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<p>These bacteria can make you sick, and are a particular concern for people with weakened immune systems.</p>
<p><strong>What does this mean? </strong><em>E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Human pathogens in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a greater health risk for infants, young children, the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems.</em></p>
<p>The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice about drinking the water from their health care providers.</p>
<p><strong>What should I do? DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST.</strong> Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for 2 minutes, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Pre-boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, brushing teeth, washing vegetables, food preparation, washing dishes, making infant formula, and making ice <strong>until further notice</strong>. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. Fact sheet WD-DWGB 4-12, provides guidance to consumers under a boil order and is available online at <em>http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/dwgb/documents/dwgb-4-12.pdf </em></p>
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<p><strong>Steps being taken to correct the situation: </strong><u>The Town of Waterville Valley has isolated the source of the contamination and the disinfection process is in progress. We do not anticipate a lenghty disruption. Please refer to the NH DES FAQ Sheet if you have any questions. Further questions may be directed at the Town Office at 603-236-4730</u></p>
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<p><!--[endif]---->General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791.</p>
<p><strong>You will be notified when the water quality problem is corrected. Until that time, the water should be boiled as described above.</strong></p>
<p><em>Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or by mail.</em></p>
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<p>WD­DWGB­4­12 </p>
<p><strong>2010 Frequently Asked Questions About Boil Orders </strong>This document is to provide guidance to consumers of a public water system under a boil order.</p>
<p><strong>Water Usage</strong> </p>
<p><strong>Why must I boil my water?</strong> A boil order has been issued to your water system because either recent testing has shown the presence of organisms that could cause illness, e.g., fecal or E. coli bacteria, or technical/physical problems in the water system have significantly increased the possibility of bacterial contamination.</p>
<p><strong>How can I make my water safe?</strong> Boiling the water is the best way to ensure that it is free of illness­causing organisms. Bring water to a rolling boil for a minimum of two minutes. When it cools, refrigerate the water in clean containers. (A pinch of salt per quart may improve the rather “flat” taste of boiled water.) If you do not want to boil your water, you can disinfect it by adding 1/8 teaspoon of bleach (common household bleach containing 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite) per gallon of water. Do not use bleach containing perfume, dyes, or other additives.</p>
<p><strong>Can I use bottled water?</strong> Buying bottled water may be a feasible alternative to boiling water. Bottled water operations are routinely inspected, and samples are periodically analyzed to ensure they meet health standards.</p>
<p>During a Boil Order, can I use my tap water for …? Drinking......................................No <br />
Ice cubes.....................................No, and existing ice cubes should be thrown out. See below for information on ice machines.<br />
Brushing teeth.............................No <br />
Baby’s formula ...........................No <br />
Washing fruit/vegetables.............No <br />
Preparing food ............................No <br />
Coffee, tea, lemonade, etc. ..........No. See next page for information on soda dispensers and coffee makers.<br />
Laundry ......................................Yes <br />
Watering grass or garden.............Yes, but fruits/vegetables must be washed using pre­boiled or bottled water before consumption.<br />
Washing hands............................See next page Showers or baths.........................See next page<br />
Washing dishes ...........................See next page</p>
<p>Can I wash my hands using tap water? It is recommended that you wash your hands using soap and either bottled water or pre­boiled water. An alcohol­based hand sanitizer may also be used.</p>
<p>Can my family take showers or baths using tap water? Adults may continue to shower as long as no water is swallowed. Sponge baths are recommended for children using a clean supply of water if possible. After you bathe or shower, wash your hands in chlorinated or bottled/boiled water. People with open wounds or who are immuno­compromised should avoid showering in contaminated tap water.</p>
<p>Can I wash dishes using tap water? You may use a dishwasher if it has a sanitizing cycle. If it does not have a sanitizing cycle, or you are not sure if it does, you may hand wash dishes and utensils by following these steps: · Wash the dishes as you normally would. · As a final step, immerse the dishes for at least one minute in lukewarm water to which a teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water has been added. · Allow the dishes to completely air dry.</p>
<p>Can I use my coffee maker, ice machine, water or soda dispenser? None of these devices should be used if they are directly connected to your water supply. Also, filters are unacceptable for removing bacteria. Once you have been notified that the boil order has been lifted, these devices should be cleaned and sanitized according to the operator’s manual for the device. Food establishments should refer to the Emergency Action Plan found on the Food Protection</p>
<p>Unit’s website at: http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/FOODPROTECTION/default.htm.</p>
<p>Can I give my pets tap water? Although pets are not normally affected by the same diseases as humans, caution suggests giving pets pre­boiled or bottled water. Health Related Information </p>
<p>Who can be affected? Anyone who ingests contaminated water may become ill. Infants, young children, the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems are more at risk of illness.</p>
<p>What are the symptoms of water­borne illness? Disease symptoms may include diarrhea, cramps, nausea and possible jaundice and associated headaches and fatigue. Symptoms may appear as early as a few hours to several days after infection and may last more than two weeks. These symptoms, however, are not just associated with disease­causing organisms in drinking water; they may also be caused by a number of other factors. If you are ill with these symptoms, contact your health care provider.</p>
<p>What if I drank water already? There is nothing you can do about the exposure you have already received. If you become ill, contact your health care provider. Follow the above recommendations about using your water until you are told the water is safe again. A note about E. coli bacteria: E. coli is a sub­group of the fecal coliform bacteria group. There are many strains of E. coli, most of which are harmless, but some strains can cause illness. E. coli outbreaks receive much media coverage. Most outbreaks have been related to food contamination (not water) caused by a specific strain of E. coli known as E. coli O157:H7. When a drinking water sample is reported as “E. coli positive,” it does not mean that this specific strain is present and in fact, it is probably not present. However, it does indicate recent fecal contamination. Boiling or treating contaminated drinking water with a disinfectant destroys all forms of E. coli, including O157:H7. General Information</p>
<p>How long will the Boil Order remain in effect? Each boil order situation is different making it impossible to predict how long the boil order will remain in effect. It will not be lifted until testing shows that the water meets public health standards. DES will notify the water system when the boil order can be lifted, and the water system, in turn, will notify you.</p>
<p>For Additional Information Please contact the Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau at (603) 271­2513 or [email protected] or visit www.des.nh.gov, click on “A to Z List” and choose “Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau.” All of the bureau’s fact sheets are on­line at http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/dwgb/index.htm. ·</p>
<p>For personal medical questions, contact your health care provider. ·</p>
<p>For specific information about your particular water system, contact the water system representative.</p>
<p>If you do not know the phone number, DES Maintains contact information at the following website: www2.des.state.nh.us/OneStop/Public_Water_Systems_Contacts_Excel_Query.aspx ·</p>
<p>For additional general health information, contact NH Disease Control at (603) 271­4496. ·</p>
<p>For more general information concerning situations that may result in the issuance of a boil order, visit the DWGB fact sheet webpage at www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/dwgb/index.htm and scroll to WD­DWGB­4­8, “Boil Water Advisories.” ·</p>
<p>For general information concerning coliform bacteria (including fecal and E. coli bacteria), visit the DWGB fact sheet webpage at www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/dwgb/index.htm and scroll to WD­DWGB­4­1, “Interpreting the Presence of Coliform Bacteria.” ·</p>
<p>For information on DES’s regulatory oversight of water systems, call (603) 271­2513. ·</p>
<p>General questions about drinking water quality, call the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1­800­426­4791 (M­F, 10am­4pm). ·</p>
<p>Websites with additional information on E. coli bacteria: · Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/safewater/ecoli.html ·</p>
<p>Centers for Disease Control and Protection: http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/stec_gi.html Note:</p>
<p>This fact sheet is accurate as of February 2010. Statutory or regulatory changes, or the availability of additional information after this date may render this information inaccurate or incomplete.</p>
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Address/Location
Waterville Valley Department of Public Safety
14 TAC Lane
Waterville Valley, NH 03215
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 603-236-8809
