12/05/2019
Let's hope this never happens in our area...
POWAY, Calif. -- All restaurants in the city of Poway have been closed and residents have been advised to boil their tap water before drinking it or using it for cooking because of a compromised water system, city officials said.
After recent rains, officials believe the potable drinking water system was compromised, according to the Poway city website. The city of Poway provides water service to about 50,000 residents. This is the first boil-water order issued in the city's history.
At 8 a.m. Sunday (12/01), the city notified residents that staff has isolated the area affected by rainwater from the recent storm. "The city is working to resolve the issue," the updated alert said. "New water samples have been sent to the lab and we are waiting results."
The city set up a pickup location at Lake Poway at 14644 Lake Poway Road. It is taking people an average of 45 minutes to get to the front of the line. Each car receives one case of water.
A city or water provider can issue a boil order as a result of routine water tests indicating the presence of E.coli bacteria, or when there is a significant risk.
F***l colony forming (coliform) bacteria are a large family of potentially harmful bacteria. Escherichia coli, also know as E.coli is an anaerobic gram-negative bacterium that is found in the intestine of mammals like humans and other furry animals.
There are many strains of E.coli, and not all are harmful. However, certain strains of E.coli are dangerous (pathogenic), and are associated with gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections and neonatal meningitis. Symptoms of E.coli-related illness include: severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, fever, and respiratory distress.
Since they don’t know exactly which strain of E.Coli is in the water and waiting to speciate would be irresponsible, an immediate boil order is the most sensible action to take.
Resolution of the problem will involve flushing water distribution laterals, shock-chlorination and possibly replacement of contaminated piping and/or fittings. The water provider will also be working with the State, and County Health Department to make sure that positive causal factors are identified, and that the latest best practices are followed. Every boil order situation is different, making it impossible to predict how long the boil order will actually remain in effect. It will not be lifted until testing shows that the water meets public health standards. Boil water advisories or boil water orders are lifted when the water is considered safe and no longer poses a threat to public health.
If you are affected by the Boil Order, here is some very important information:
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST
Bring water to boil, keep it boiling for 60 seconds, and then allow it to cool before drinking.
DO NOT LET WATER GET INTO YOUR EYES OR MOUTH IN THE SHOWER
Babies, older persons, and those with compromised immune systems should not bathe in the water
DO NOT BRUSH YOUR TEETH WITH TAP WATER
Disinfect your toothbrush and then only use bottled water
DO NOT USE ICE FROM YOUR ICE-MAKER
Throw out ice in the ice bin and turn the ice-maker off
DO NOT DRINK WATER FROM YOUR REFRIGERATOR
Turn off the water supply to your fridge and discard your fridge filter
DO NOT DRINK WATER FROM YOUR WATER FILTER
Carbon filters, sediment filters, and even Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems are not suitable for removing bacteria. Technologies like Ultraviolet (UV) and Ultrafiltration (UF) are effective at addressing E.coli, but only if the system is tested and certified to do so.
USE THE DISINFECTION/STERILIZE CYCLE ON YOUR DISHWASHER
If you hand-wash, immerse the clean dishes in water with bleach added (1 tsp. per Gallon) and let them stay in the bleached water for at least 1 minute.
USE HOT/HOT CYCLES ON YOUR CLOTHES WASHER
The hotter the better, and after each load, run an empty load (or load of whites) with a cup-full of bleach to minimize contamination
TURN OFF YOUR CENTRAL HUMIDIFIER
Throw away humidifier evaporative pads and turn the water off to the humidifier
DISINFECT WATER BEING USED IN YOUR PORTABLE HUMIDIFIER
Add 4 Tsp. of Hydrogen peroxide per Gallon of water
DO NOT WASH YOUR HANDS WITH THE WATER
Use bottled water or hand sanitizer
DO NOT LET YOUR PETS DRINK THE WATER
Give them bottled water and be sure to clean and disinfect their water bowl
BYPASS YOUR WATER SOFTENER OR WHOLE HOUSE FILTER
This will help avoid further contamination
AFTER THE BOIL ORDER IS LIFTED
Once the boil-order has been lifted, be sure to flush and disinfect the household plumbing. Then disinfect your dishwasher and clothes washer along with your water heater, humidifier, ice-maker, and any other water-using appliances.
If you have a water softener, conditioner, salt-free system, or whole-house filter, disinfect it according to manufacturer’s instructions.
If you have a drinking filter, throw away the filter, sanitize according to manufacturer’s instructions, and install new cartridge/s.
Part of the procedure for ensuring your safety is to flush and clean certain piping, as well as introducing large amounts of chlorine into the city’s plumbing system. It’s always wise to wait a few days before drinking the unfiltered tap water again to avoid chlorine disinfection byproducts and organic material.
