Full Notification

 
E. coli bacteria were verified in the City of Tonkawa Public Water Supply on July 1, 2026. These bacteria can make you sick, and they are a particular concern for people with weakened immune systems.
 
What should I do?
 

• DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST.  Bring water to a full, rolling boil for one minute before drinking, preparing food, making baby formula, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, bathing infants who may drink bath water, or for cleaning open wounds. Boiling the water kills bacteria and other disease-causing agents. Alternatively, use bottled water or another acceptable source for consumption.   

 

• Fecal coliforms and E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems.

 

• 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 water from their health care providers.

 
 
What happened? What is being done?
 
Bacterial contamination can occur when increased run-off enters the drinking water source (for example, following heavy rains). It can also happen due to a break in the distribution system (pipes) or a failure in the water treatment process.
 
Describe corrective actions: We are working with DEQ to handle this as soon as possible.
 
We will inform you when this problem has been corrected. We anticipate resolving the problem as soon as possible based on DEQ’s advice.  For more information, please contact City of Tonkawa at (580) 628-2508 or (580) 628-2516.
 
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.
 
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 mail.
 
This notice is being sent to you by the City of Tonkawa, PWSID No. OK2003603.
 

Instructions:

Please click the link and read full notice. Also, please keep aprised of the latest information on our website or Facebook feed.