The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the City of Great Bend public water supply system located in Barton County.
Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:
- Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.
- Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
- If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
- Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
- Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
The advisory took effect on December 2 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a loss of pressure due to an electrical outage. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.
Regardless of whether the public water supplier or Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.
The power went out in parts of Great Bend. As a result, the wells lost power, and the emergency generators did not activate as programed with a loss of pressure to the system. Crews responded to resolve the issue, and water has been restored but the city has been put under a boil advisory. Currently, the city is conducting further investigation into the incident.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact Jason Cauley, Director of Public Works, at 620-793-4150.
For consumer questions, please contact the water system at 620-793-4150 or KDHE at 785-296-5514.