All Portlanders west of the Willamette need to boil tap water
Credit: Portland Water Bureau
by Michael Rollins
Posted on November 28, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Updated today at 5:52 PM
PORTLAND -- The Portland Water Bureau issued a "Boil Water Notice" Saturday for all customers west of the Willamette River, including the Valley View, Burlington and Palatine Hill Water Districts.
The Water Bureau provided this link to a map of the afffected area. Some computers may not have the software to open it.
All tap water should be boiled at full roil for at least a minute. Any stored water or ice should be tossed. The precaution should be used until further notice from the Portland Water Bureau. Further test results will be available Sunday.
The caution is caused by presence of E. Coli in Reservoir 3 at Washington Park.
All tap water should be boiled at full roil for at least a minute. Any stored water or ice should be tossed. The precaution should be used until further notice from the Portland Water Bureau. Further test results will be available Sunday.
The caution is caused by presence of E. Coli in Reservoir 3 at Washington Park.
Here is a prepared statement from the Portland Water Bureau.
What should I do? What does this mean to me?
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST OR USE BOTTLE WATER. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Bring all water to a rolling boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.
What is being done?
The Portland Water Bureau has taken the reservoir out of service. We will inform you when tests show no bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. We anticipate resolving the problem within 24 hours.
For more information, please contact Portland Water Bureau at 503-823-7770 or 1120 SW 5th Ave., Portland, OR, 97204. 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.
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST OR USE BOTTLE WATER. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Bring all water to a rolling boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.
What is being done?
The Portland Water Bureau has taken the reservoir out of service. We will inform you when tests show no bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. We anticipate resolving the problem within 24 hours.
For more information, please contact Portland Water Bureau at 503-823-7770 or 1120 SW 5th Ave., Portland, OR, 97204. 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.
Water Bureau spokesman Terry Black said "routine water samples collected on Wednesday November 25, 2009 from Reservoir 3 in Washington Park indicated the presence of E. coli. A confirmation sample collected on Friday November 27, 2009 also tested positive for E. coli."
Dr. Paul Lewis, tri-county deputy health office, said "If there are health effects from drinking water contamination, we expect them to be diarrhea and belly ache. Although we are hopeful that the contaminated water will not affect peoples' health, diarrhea can be a bigger problem for young children and people who have weakened immune systems. It is also important to note that the E. coli bacteria that is detected on the monitoring test may not be the same as the more notorious E. coli O157:H7, a cause of serious bacterial diarrhea."
